Hell's Angel: Rin
by Tears of My Heart
Summary: Rin has become possessed by Sesshomaru's worst enemy. With the threat of old enemies and the aid of new allies, will Sesshomaru and Rin keep their companionship, or will they be torn apart? Romance, action, and drama. SessolderRin. Now Complete.
1. Short Prologue

Hey, everyone, this is Tears of My Heart, and this is my VERY FIRST STORY!!! I'm so excited, I hope everyone enjoys it.

I know this is a little unconventional, but I would like to dedicate this story to my mom, Irene. Her encouragement helped me write this. I love you, Mom, and I hope you know how much I appreciate you reading this every time I turn out a new chapter, even though you--at times--didn't really want to.

Okay, now onto the show--eh, so to speak . . . .

Hell's Angel

Prologue

Seven Years Ago

A cat has nine lives. Naraku seemed to have more. It had taken a great battle to defeat him, the evil half-demon who coveted the jewel shards. His thirst for vengeance against Inuyasha and Kikyo was his driving force, his reason for living. His reason for dying.

And yet, in the end, love had defeated him. Inuyasha had been caught by his trap, engulfed by the anger of Naraku holding all but three of the Shikon Jewel shards. He had been thoughtless in his attack, and had lashed out with the Backlash Wave seconds too soon for the other attackers to take their places. And so, Kagome, watching as Naraku had Inuyasha in his grasp, the poisonous miasma floating around them, suffocating Inuyasha, she had sent an arrow at the jewel shards, breaking the orb. The pieces scattered to the ground, some lost in the dirt. With the jewel shards away from him, Naraku was no stronger than Inuyasha, his fellow half-demon. And with a final stroke of his Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha had ended Naraku's miserable life, sending him forever into the netherworld, where he awaited his fate . . . .

From there, the groups scattered. Inuyasha and Kagome, along with Miroku, Sango, Kilala, and Shippo, had headed back to the village which they had long called home. Naraku's incarnations, many unable to live without his master's life-force, perished. Kagura, the wind sorceress, took her heart and left, some say for distant lands where she could live out her days in peace.

Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Rin had taken to their travels again, with the goal of finding a weapon more powerful then Tetsusaiga, Tenseiga, and Souunga. His heart still harbored envy for the blessing his father had bestowed on his half-breed son, Inuyasha, while giving the Tenseiga, worthless as it was, to his eldest, Sesshomaru.

Their journey, thus far, had proven fruitless. They have traveled long roads throughout feudal Japan, hoping against hope that something existed, that there was, indeed, a weapon that Sesshomaru could wield to ensure absolute power to himself. Somewhere . . . .

Yet no one knew, not even his underlings, that Naraku had another plan up his sleeve, one that would reach out beyond the grave.

* * *

Hey, I know, its really short, but I wanted to give you a little back story, but the rest of the chapters will be way longer, bordering on 3,000 words, I promise. 


	2. On The Mind and On The Heart

Hey, since my prologue was so short, I thought I would post a few chapters with it. Enjoy!!!

* * *

Chapter One

On the Mind and On the Heart

Twelve years had come and gone before anyone could stop it. There had been no planning, yet the three of Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Rin had stayed together for twelve years. Rin, knowing that twelve years to a youkai was nothing, yet was a great deal to humans, had treasured every moment, beginning when she had found her Lord Sesshomaru wounded in the forest.

Rin, now, had seen nineteen summers. She had grown tall, with graceful curves and a lovely face. Her eyes were still large, but complimented her face without swallowing the whole of it. Her jet-black hair grew past her waist, and was usually pleated into a braid to keep it out of her way.

Even now, she was as brave as ever, holding her ground in the face of an enemy. Lord Sesshomaru had taught her how to fight, as he had said many times:

_"I may not always be here to protect you, Rin. You must learn to protect yourself."_

And teach her well, he did. Many times had she gotten into trouble, of which she would get herself out of. Bandits, thieves, and villains of any kind had often fallen to her skill.

Demons she knew better than to even engage. She being human, they were stronger, bigger, and meaner than she could ever be. Yet sometimes, she had to face them, and sometimes she would win. It was a sign of her growing strength and her growing endurance for the danger that she faced everyday with Lord Sesshomaru.

Now, looking at Lord Sesshomaru from a distance over the camp fire, she marveled once more at how handsome he truly was. She had first noticed this when she was fifteen, and had been unable to look him in the eye for a week. Often he had asked if there was a problem, but she would answer that she was fine, and let the subject drop.

Yet she was not fine. Since that day, she had been falling in love with him. Day by day her heart would fall, and though she tried to stop it, nothing could stop what was happening.

She sighed to herself, content to sit and nibble on her fish. Jaken slept nearby with Ah-Un, and every now and then a whiny moan would come from him. The cracking of the fire would sometimes drown him out, but it was still very loud, and would no-doubt attract unwanted attention, as it had so many times before.

Slowly, Rin examined her lord. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Yes, Rin?" he asked without once looking up. In fact, he leaned back against a tree and prepared to sleep.

"What is love, Lord Sesshomaru?"

In his life, Sesshomaru had only been shocked a handful of times. This was one of them.

"What?" he said, not letting his surprise show.

"What is love? No one has ever explained to me what love was, and I am curious."

He thought for a moment. He honestly had never thought about love. It was beneath him.

"Love is a foolish human emotion. It is a ridiculous notion that two people could 'love' each other. It is beneath us, Rin. You may be human, but you are in my company. Never forget that."

She sighed. He had not answered her question. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Any more questions for tonight?"

"No, M'Lord." She looked at him as he closed his eyes.

"Then sleep. It's late." Usually, he never slept, yet their travels had revealed no enemies worthy of his staying alert. However, Rin stayed awake, looking upon his form, knowing that he was still awake. This is how she had found him, so many years ago. He had been wounded in his battle with Inuyasha over the Tetsusaiga, and he had been resting when she had happened upon him. She hadn't been afraid of him, though. She thought as she had watched him that he was the prettiest man she had ever seen. His white hair had shined with the fire of the setting sun, and she had felt compassion at seeing his blood-stained armor. She had wanted, more than anything, to take care of this man, to tend to him in his time of need. She knew what it was like to be injured, to be alone and frightened. To have no one care.

Though it had been many years since her parents and brothers had been killed, she still remembered their faces. She dreamed of them, sometimes. They were happy, smiling. Always encouraging her to live toward the future.

And now, as she looked upon her Lord Sesshomaru, she knew that he was her past, present, and future.

* * *

Kagura of the Wind had traveled by this river many days and nights. Her heart now safely tucked within her breast, she could felt an overwhelming sense of freedom. Her past was littered with death and chaos, because she had been a slave to Naraku. Now that the bastard was dead, she could travel free, knowing that she was safe . . . .

_Kagura . . . ._

She turned, but no one was there. She was so sure that she had heard her name whispered. Shrugging it off, she continued to walk the banks of the river, occasionally taking off her slippers and allowing her feet to dip into the cool caress of the water.

_Kagura . . . ._

Again, beside her, her name was whispered.

"Who's there?" she said, pulling her fan from the sleeve of her kimono. "Show yourself."

Yet no one answered her call.

"I must be losing it. I've been alone too long."

_Over here, Kagura._ _Don't you recognize me?_ Slowly, she turned a full circle. The voice was familiar, one she knew well. Hakudoshi . . . .

They had been incarnations of Naraku, of which there were many. Some had never been released from their prison, for Naraku himself was afraid of them.

_Kagura, down here, in the water._

Slowly, and with great caution, Kagura leaned over the bank of the river.

Staring back at her was not her own reflection, yet the hideous face of a demon. It was a giant, and even in the night sky she could tell that he was blood red, with eyes of the same color. This was definitely not the child-like Hakudoshi. Yet when he opened his mouth and spoke, it was in Hakudoshi's voice.

"Join us, Kagura. We have banded together, our powers great. Join us, the last of Naraku's incarnations. Not that you really have a choice . . . ."

And then she was gone from the river bank . . . .

* * *

Rin popped one eye open. The sun shone through the trees, and one particular ray fell upon said eye.

Hearing the tell-tale sound of Jaken's Staff of Skulls upon the ground by the back of her head, he was obviously about to startle her awake as he had done so many times before. She waited, waited until his beak was right above her ear. That's when she sprang up and screamed, "Boo!" The little green imp fell back, and his staff landed upon his head.

"Stupid girl," he squawked. "I should deny you your breakfast for that!" Even knowing full well that he would never do that to her.

"You were about to do the same thing to me," she said, laughter still pouring from her.

"I was trying to wake you," he said.

"You were not, you toad. You were trying to scare me."

Though he put on a stern face, he did so while handing her a skewer of fire-roasted fish and some water. He had been there for her in her times of need, protecting her when necessary. Now, for the most part, she protected him, which was quite a turn of things.

Often, and as much as loved her, he wondered why Lord Sesshomaru put up with the girl. She should have been left in a human village long ago, not traveling through all of Japan with two full-fledged demons. As often as he thought this, he also wandered at her staying. Lord Sesshomaru would grant her anything she pleased, so why had she not simply left?

"Jaken."

He started, his beak drawn open and he beady eyes large.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"We will be leaving within the hour. Help Rin prepare everything."

"Yes, certainly, M'Lord."

They set off, with Ah-Un carrying the brunt of the supplies. Rin traveled by foot, as she had often done. She would travel great distances without becoming tired. And Jaken would perch atop the two-headed dragon, at Rin's request. Lord Sesshomaru, as always, took the lead and would travel ahead to ensure that the way was clear of hindrances.

After traveling long into the afternoon, the sun began to fall in a brilliant display of color.

From the wooded forest along the road, a small voice spoke.

"Lord Sesshomaru."

He paused in his stride, annoyance turning his gold eyes amber. "Kagura."

Rin had also recognized the voice from when she was younger. She remembered the demon, her red eyes and black hair, which was always pulled back. She had been able to command the winds.

Why was she here?

"Sesshomaru, help me," she said, her voice laced with pain. "I was ambushed . . . they surrounded me. I couldn't fight them off. I couldn't get away . . . ."

"Come out from where you are."

"I can't, my legs," she whispered. "They are broken, as is my arm. I cannot even crawl to you, so as to beg for your help."

Sesshomaru stopped. Kagura, beg? The two did not bode well. Even to save her own life, she would never have begged. Not the demon he knew. Something was wrong.

"Shall I go help her, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked, not even waiting for his answer. She ran into the thick woodland, thinking only of getting to the wounded Kagura.

"Rin," he said, the command in his voice like a whip. And for once in her life, she didn't listen to him. Running on, blindly, listening only to the sound of the demon's whimpers of pain.

After pushing aside a few branches, she found herself in a meadow, the white of the flowers illuminated by the light of the now-overhead moon. Kagura sat leaning back against a tree, her kimono soaked in blood. Her once beautiful face was in shreds, as though someone had purposefully brutalized her.

She moaned when she looked over, shock in her eyes. "Who are you?" she whispered.

"Do you not recognize me, Kagura?" Rin said, walking over to the demon.

"You . . . You are that brat that follows Sesshomaru. You _still_ follow him, I see."

Rin's eyes widened at the informal use of Lord Sesshomaru's name, for she was used to addressing him with respect. "Yes, I am Rin."

"Has he sent you to collect me? Or to kill me?" Kagura asked, her eyes staring up at the stars. Rin had her doubts that the woman could even see, the blood was so thick on her face.

"Which do you wish for, Kagura? To live, or to die. The choice is yours."

"Some choice, kid," she said, fixing her milky-red eyes on the human. "Where is Sesshomaru? Why has he sent you, rather than come himself?"

Rin stood, not sure what to say. In truth, she believed that Lord Sesshomaru would have been content to leave this demoness behind, yet Rin could not let another suffer in such a cruel manner. "Do you want my help, or not?" Rin finally said in frustration. She did not like to be asked too many questions at once, mostly out of habit. Her lord was not one for idle conversation. Nor was Master Jaken, for that matter. When he wasn't squawking orders at her, he was usually entranced in his own thoughts.

"Sure, kid. Come over here and help me up," Kagura ordered. Rin took a step forward, than two, yet she stopped, as though scenting the air. Something was amiss, she could feel it. She halted in her steps, her hand going to the hilt of her sword. She surveyed her surroundings, and she sensed demon. Yet there was a demon before her, making it impossible to tell if there were more with only her human senses.

"Kagura, tell me again how you became injured." Rin stood silently and listened for the answer.

"I was attacked by a demon, stupid chit. How many times do I have to say it?"

"Wasn't it several demons? Before, you said you couldn't fend them off."

Kagura's eyes narrowed marginally. Without speaking a word, the demon peeled off its skin, revealing not Kagura, yet a large, red demon. Fire burned behind his eyes, and his forked tongue flicked out acid. His claws were massive, and reminded her of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga. He rose to stand fifty feet higher than her, and she knew when she was bested.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she screamed, pulling the sword out of its sheath. The blade sang its freedom, having not been used in a while. Wielding the sword as any master would, Rin could stave off an attack until her lord came to her rescue.

The demon lunged, his claws coming dangerously close to her head. Running under the cover of trees, she hoped to use her small stature to her advantage. She could hear the demon approaching, and she prepared for battle. She focused her energy on the sword, as Lord Sesshomaru had taught her to do. She remembered how she had received this sword, Ni-Kiba, the Sword of Two Fangs.

* * *

Hope you liked it. Please read and review!!!


	3. NiKiba: The Sword of Two Fangs

Alright, this is another shorty--not as short as the Prologue, however--but I still thought I would post it now rather than later. Yahoo!!!

Chapter Two

Ni-Kiba: The Sword of Two Fangs

Four Years Ago

Rin quickly dodged out the way of a blast of steam. The ground, save for a fragile-looking path, was naught but molten lava. She could smell the brimstone, causing her lungs to burn and her mouth to dry.

Edging closer to Lord Sesshomaru, she wondered why they would come to such a place.

"Do you fear this place, Rin?" Lord Sesshomaru asked, looking briefly at the fifteen-year-old girl next to him.

"Some, M'Lord. Why are we here?"

He never answered her, his stride long and unbroken. Ahead of this, Rin could see the giant skeletal remains of a demon, and from within she could hear the withered voices of old men.

"So, Miroku finally married the demon slayer? I never thought the monk would have the guts to do something like this," one said, his voice hoarse and dry. "What of Inuyasha? Has he mated Kagome yet?"

"No, he is as stubborn as ever. Poor Kagome, standing by his side all of these years, and having to watch him pine after a dead woman. Whelp doesn't know what's good for him. If he paid more attention, and had listened to me all those years ago, I would have told him that that woman held no love for him in her heart. To her, he was a convenient escape from the life she had chosen."

"I agree, Myoga. He should have seen it himself. What would be good for him would be to settle down with Kagome and have a litter of Inu-pups. Yes, that would be the key. The Great Dog Demon did love children, and his son should feel the same way."

"Yes, the master's eyes always held a certain sadness when he thought about his children. He had wanted to see his grand-pups before he passed on to the netherworld."

"He had always wanted a family," Totosai said, his voice full of grief. "A big one. I remember him telling me, soon after he had met Izayoi, that he wanted ten, maybe fifteen kids with her. After all that praying and hoping, he only got Inuyasha."

"Indeed. The master would surely be rolling over in his grave if he knew the way Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fought. Its enough to make an old flea like me wish for death."

"That can be arranged, old man," Sesshomaru said from the door, his gaze as intense as his face was expressionless. The two old men turned their eyes to him, Rin, and Jaken.

"To what, Lord Sesshomaru, do I owe this honor?" Totosai asked, his eyes large and observant.

"I am here to have a sword commissioned." Lord Sesshomaru always was tact.

"You know my position on that, Sesshomaru. I refused you once, and I refuse again. Can you not be content with the two swords that you do have?"

"Yeah, Sesshomaru, why can't you learn you're lesson?" they all heard from outside. Inuyasha stepped into the skull, his bare feet silent upon the hard bone floor.

"Why are you here, Master Inuyasha?" Myoga asked, his arms folded over his chest.

"Hell, I'm just here to have Tetsusaiga cleaned and sharpened. I certainly wasn't expecting a battle."

"Nor will you get one, whelp," Sesshomaru said. "I am here to have a sword commissioned for my ward. I have no desire for a new sword."

"Bullshit," Inuyasha said, stepping forward. "You've been after Tetsusaiga for decades, trying to find it, trying to steal it. You want a sword made so that you can use it against me."

"The world does not revolve around you and your sword, brother. The sword is not for me." Slowly, he reached into his hoari and pulled out a curved, pearly fang. "Make the sword from this."

Inuyasha immediately knew that it was his brother's own fang. He must really like this girl to have a sword made for her in such a manner.

"What would you like this sword to be, Sesshomaru? What power would it possess?"

"The sword will have the powers of fire and ice," he said, his words falling like hail in the cavern.

Totosai took the fang from Sesshomaru, examined it, and then shook his head. "This fang, though powerful, does not hold the aura required for the powers you want." He then tapped his nail across the enameled surface, and listened to the fang sing. "From this, I can create what you want, yet with only the power of ice."

Lord Sesshomaru glared at the old man. "I, Sesshomaru, do not have the power in his fang to create this sword."

"No, you don't," shaking his head, Totosai also edged closer to Inuyasha. "Do not kill me, but I fear that to make your sword, I will require the fang from another being."

Attacking quite suddenly, Inuyasha was not prepared to have the fang ripped out of his mouth. Staggering back, he screamed. "What the hell, old man? I aught to kill you where you stand." Grabbing the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, his almost removed it from the sheath when a small hand touched his.

"Thank you, Master Inuyasha," Rin said, and bowed deeply. The hanyou blushed, and his ears fell back. He was not used to gratitude, Rin noticed. Standing tall once more, she smiled her brightest at him. "You live up to your reputation as a generous and respectable demon. I will never forget this moment, and if Rin should ever find a way to repay you, Rin will do so."

Somewhere in the cavern, Totosai mused. "Ah, yes, this fang will do nicely. The contrast in power will serve to make this sword powerful indeed. Child," he called out, "You are entirely human, yes?"

"Yes, Master Totosai."

"Good. These powers will serve well for a human hand. Yes, yes, it shall be ready if given a week's time."

And so the Ni-Kiba was born. The ice of Lord Sesshomaru and the fire of Inuyasha flowed through the sword, making the power of it reverberate within itself, the internal struggle between the brothers. When they work separately, they are indeed powerful. Yet when they are combined, they are invincible . . . .

* * *

So, I'm thinking I'll need some reviews from this point to keep posting. Let me know what you think. Oh, and watch out, I may change the summary because I'm not too thrilled about it, but I will state that the sum has changed. If I get the reviews I'm looking for, I want to update in three to four days. We'll see. Toodles.


	4. Love's Sacrifice

Hey, its me again! I just thought I would treat you all and update a little early. Hope you enjoy!!!

**Disclaimer: I know I forgot this before, but I do not now, or have I ever, owned Inuyasha. All I own is this plot.**

* * *

Chapter Three

Love's Sacrifice

Raising herself up from the cover of the trees, Rin held Ni-Kiba in front of her, calling forth her spiritual energy, spilling it into the sword. Drawing back, she screamed, "Fire Storm!"

Swinging forth, she felt the swirl of demonic energy that flowed around the monster. She followed the wave, and allowed the barrage of fire to lick upon the blade. When flung forward, the fire could engulf the forest itself.

The demon caught the flames, and his body became covered in them.

"Fool," the demon said, using Hakudoshi's voice. "I am a demon forged of fire. Did you think to destroy me with them?"

"Alright then," she yelled. "Ice Blades!"

Flying forward again with her sword, she let loose thousands of ice spears, aiming directly at this demon. Her mouth gaped open as the demon was repeatedly stabbed, again and again, with these spears, yet it never faltered. It pressed forward, trying to catch, to use her as bate for the great Lord Sesshomaru.

She only had one last hope. If she could use the Spears of Flame . . . no, it would never work. As much energy as she had placed into finding the key, she has never been able to summon it, had never even seen its attack.

Leaping into battle, she dodged and ducked, holding herself away from the claws of the beast. Every so often, if he got close, she struck, leaving behinds pieces of red demon flesh. She battled long into the night, her stamina drained and her limbs tired.

Where was Lord Sesshomaru? She had called out to him many times during battle, hoping that he would come to her aid and they would finally be rid of this nuisance. Yet he never came, and soon she fell to the ground, her body spent.

"Rin," she heard from behind her. Tears welled in her eyes. He had come.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered, not bothering to hide the hope she felt inside.

"You fought well, Rin. Go to Jaken, and leave this place," he said, drawing his Tokijin from its sheath.

"You saw me battle?"

"Now is not the time for questions. Go," he said, and lunged into the attack, his movements graceful and powerful. Rin could not help but watch as he drove his blade into the beast. The monster reached forward with his claws, the steel of it slicing into Sesshomaru's back. As though he felt nothing, Sesshomaru continued to fight.

The demon then backed away, his body angled up. With a sweep of his hand, and in the voice of Kagura, he yelled, "Dance of Blades."

Curves of light flew, and flesh was cut. Rin screamed as she saw his blood fly threw the air. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she yelled, her heart breaking in her chest. She could only watch in horror as the beast reached down and grabbed him off of the ground, his long, thin fingers wrapping around her master, almost devouring his length.

Using the voice of Hakudoshi, the demon laughed. "I can see into your soul. I can see you desires, you ambitions. Pathetic, really. You believe yourself invincible, powerful beyond even that of your father."

Sesshomaru fought, but while in its grasp, he was powerless. Gaining freedom would mean that he would have to reach out to Rin for help, and would rather die than do that.

"Girl," the demon said. "Do you want Sesshomaru freed? What would you be willing to do for his life?"

Rin looked at him, her eyes roaming over his face. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, because she knew in her heart that she would do anything, if only he would be set free, unharmed._ Her_ Lord Sesshomaru. She loved him, more than anything, even her own life.

"Rin," he said, warning clear in his voice. "Let no one make demands of you." _Except for me_, he added silently.

"How can I stand by and let this happen?" she asked, her voice not quite steady. Bowing her head, she whispered, "For his freedom, I will do anything."

The demon laughed. Reaching out, he held an object in his hand. In his large hand, the sword looked like a twig, but it was a sword none-the-less.

Few times in her life had she seen Lord Sesshomaru amazed. This was one of them.

Rin recognized the sword that he held out to her. "Souunga? How did you get it?" she said.

"Didn't you know that I, Kanna, can travel to the land of the dead? I brought back Souunga."

"Rin," Sesshomaru said. "Do not take hold of that sword." She heard the command in his voice. As though to sway her mind, however, the beast tightened his hold on her lord, and she heard the distinct sound of bone popping.

"I _have_ to . . .," she screamed, tears running down her face. Blood from a cut in her shoulder ran down her arm to sprinkle the ground. Her body was tired, weak. She was . . . human. And in being human, she could no longer stand to see Lord Sesshomaru in pain. In being human, she would forfeit her life for the one she loved . . . .

She reached out, slowly, feeling the evil that surrounded the sword. Souunga. She remembered when she had first laid eyes on it, so many years ago. She had been only a child then, and she hadn't understood its power. She remembered, though, that she couldn't understand why Inuyasha, after having been so . . . well, not good, but not bad, had tried to kill her and Master Jaken. Now older, Rin knew that this sword was evil, she knew that it would kill her, yet she knew that if she didn't take hold of it, Lord Sesshomaru would die.

Taking firm hold of the hilt, she felt the immense power rush threw her. The sword's roots buried themselves into her arm, and she cried out in pain. Falling on her knees, she only held the sword tighter as its power flowed through her veins into her heart. Falling back, she felt as though every bone in her body had broken, as though every muscle were strained.

Sesshomaru fell to the ground as the demon set him loose. Then the beast, laughing menacingly, dissolved into itself, leaving only a thin, pale mist. Sesshomaru watched in horror as the mist fell onto Rin, entered her body, and began to change her.

Rin's raven black hair became pure silver, must like his own. Her human ears became small dog ears, much like Inuyasha's. Her eyes glowed feral red, and her fingers became claws. She was transforming into . . . a demon. Yet not a demon, because Sesshomaru could smell the scent of hanyou. She was still human, somewhere inside of herself.

When all was calm and her screams had quieted, Sesshomaru went to her, and looked down at the demon before him. Her breathing was labored, and her mind was under great strain.

"Rin," he said, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

She looked up at him, and though she recognized him, the sword commanded that she attack. She slowly blinked up at him, her eyes glowing red. "Lord Sesshomaru," she said, once more in her own voice, before the demons within her took over.

"Sesshomaru," Rin said in Kagura's voice. "Did you think to kill her, Sesshomaru? To kill the body, let the sword go free, and use your Tenseiga? Did you think we were stupid? Her life-force is now connected to Souunga. If the sword becomes separated from her, we will kill her. If we are separated from her, the sword will kill her. Either way, she will be pulled into Hell before you ever have the chance to pull your sword from its sheath."

He never moved, never batted an eye. He watched calmly as Kagura's voice permeated Rin and flowed through her mouth.

"What do you want with Souunga?"

"With this sword, we can open the gates of Hell. We will release Naraku," Hakudoshi said, his child-like voice calm and soft. "Then we will kill you all."

Sesshomaru smirked. "You think that you can do that, do you? I know as well as you do that Rin's body is weak. Even now, she is only a hanyou. She would never survive what you require of her."

Rin could hear it all. She heard his voice, could hear the disgust as he relayed how weak she was. She couldn't control her body, couldn't tell him that she was strong, and would defeat this enemy from within. All she could see were the demons as their youki flowed around hers. Deep within herself, Rin could see, hear, taste, and feel. Every muscle in her body burned from the battle she had undergone, as well as the transformation.

"Her body may only be a hanyou, but her spirit is strong. She will survive, if only to prove you wrong, Sesshomaru."

Again, he only smirked. "Besides all of that, why should I care? She was only a pathetic human, following me around like a love-sick puppy." He laughed. "She would have died for me. Does that not say it all? She was a fool. Kill her if you must."

Rin cried out. Inside of herself, she cried. _"No! I am strong. I am not some weak human. I do not follow you that way."_ She could only watch on . . . .

Never one to be caught off guard, Sesshomaru anticipated the attack, and when it came, he fought with fervor. He jumped back as Souunga was thrust at him, and Rin's new demon body quickly adjusted. With boosts of speed, she kept up with his ducks and dodges easily. Swords clashed, the sound reverberating in the forest. She fell away, her body able to avoid a cut from his blade. She swung forth with Souunga, catching him in the shoulder.

_No! _She screamed within herself. _Lord Sesshomaru._ Blood soaked his white hoari, yet it was the shoulder belonging to his missing arm.

Even while her soul screamed, the demon in her thrust forward, playing on his weakness. The demon knew that he would never hurt her, that he would rather cut off his remaining arm.

"Sesshomaru, this girl's body is stronger than we had originally thought. How strange, that we had thought to use your body as our vessel, but now we much prefer hers. She is human, under this shell, and that will make everyone, including that bastard brother of yours, to think twice before striking her down. This has turned into our advantage."

"You will die this day, demon," Sesshomaru said, ice licking at his words. "There will be no mercy."

"From the great Lord Sesshomaru, I would expect no less."

The battle raged on, heatedly at moments. Sesshomaru held his anger in check, knowing that to strike with a blow too powerful, Rin would be destroyed.

* * *

Kagome pulled herself out of the Bone-Eaters well. She was all bright smiles and blushing cheeks. Today had been special. Today had been one of the best days of her life, and she couldn't wait to share it with Inuyasha.

Sometimes she felt like this was all a dream. As though she would wake up and realize that Inuyasha and all of her friends here in the feudal era of Japan had all been a cruel dream. And though it had been almost thirteen years since she had fallen through the well, and they had been dangerous and deadly, she had loved every minute of it.

She frowned when she thought of Inuyasha. He had a rough exterior; he was unrefined, rude, obnoxious, and most definitely unkempt. And she loved every bit of him. Now that she was in her late twenties, she realized that her love for him had, somewhere along the way, changed from teenage infatuation into full-blown love. Sometimes, when she thought about it too long, pain would envelope her heart.

Kikyo. She had claimed to love Inuyasha, and in the end, would have taken him away from her if given the chance. Kagome would cry sometimes, knowing that Inuyasha would never forget her, would only see her as a replacement for Kikyo.

Yet that didn't matter today. Today was special . . . .

"Kagome!" she heard in front of her, bringing her out of her thoughts. Shippo jumped in the air, his excitement evident in the child-like face. Resembling a boy of seven, he still carried that quality that defined him as the youngest of the group, even though he could easily be a hundred years old.

He ran up and hugged her tight around the waist, and she embraced him. She hadn't been able to travel to the past so much in recent years, and she had missed all of them terribly.

"Feh, it's about damn time you showed up," Inuyasha said from his perch in the tree.

"I told you I was going to come back today. You should be more patient, Inuyasha." Jumping down, he stood before her. Since she only came up to his shoulders, her glare didn't intimidate him in the least.

"You should have been quicker." Sniffing the air, he narrowed his gaze on her. "You smell different. What's going on?"

"Here," she said, her anger gone as a smile found itself on her face. She held out a rolled parchment, and Inuyasha reached out to grab it. She pulled back at the last moment. "Don't tear it."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hand it over already."

He unrolled it and peered inside. "What the hell is it?"

"You have to read it, bone-head."

"Feh. 'Upon completion of all requirements, this certificate has been hereby presented to Dr. Kagome Higurashi, in the field of internal medicine.'"

"I graduated!" she screamed, launching herself into his arms. "I did it. I'm really a doctor." She held on tight, tears spilling over in her happiness.

"That's great, Kagome," Inuyasha said, patting her shoulder. "You've worked really hard. You wanted this more than anything."

"Now I can stay here more. I don't have to study, and though I can go on and do my residency, I want to stay here. I can help the people of the village, combined with my powers as a priestess."

He pulled away, a frown knotting his brow. _She wants to stay here?_ Didn't she want to stay in her own time, and have a life of her own? Shouldn't she want a family, and a home?

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, handing her the piece of paper. "I'm proud of you, Kagome."

"Thanks. I'm going to go tell the others."

"Inuyasha?" Shippo asked, his hand pulling at the other demon's kimono. "What's a doctor of infernal medicine?"

"I have no idea. It'll probably hurt, though."

* * *

Kagome ran to the small village, with a light in her eyes that hadn't been present in many years. She loved this place, sometimes more than her own time.

As she neared the village, she saw a flash to her right. Stopping, and turning slowly, she saw what it was.

Sesshomaru walked out of the trees, his stride slow and deliberate. Blood fell from his hands and down his legs. His white hoari was covered in thick, red blood. Through his middle was a gaping wound, as though a sword had went straight into his body.

His eyes only held a moment of recognition before rolling up into his head as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Well, there you go. I guess this is a cliff hanger. Review, review, review!!! I need five more in addition to the one's I have in order to post more. Thanx!!!


	5. Wounds Tended, Yet Not Healed

It's me again! Damn, I just can't seem to keep a promise! So, I'm posting early, again, and I would really like to thank all of my reviewers so far! They are all so nice, and I appreciate each of you so much! Now, on to the story, because this is where things get good. Oh, and this story is around sixteen chapters, not including the prologue and epilogue, so enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Four

Tended Wounds, Yet Not Healed

He hadn't been able to defeat her. He had had his Tokijin at her throat, her body pinned under his. He should have dealt the death blow and been done with this. Yet the demon had let her come through at that moment, and her eyes had looked up at him with such fright.

"Kill me, Lord Sesshomaru," she had whispered. "Please. It hurts . . . ."

When he had looked at her, her eyes welled with tears and her lips trembling, he had felt something unfamiliar in his chest constrict, and he had felt as though he couldn't breath. _Kill her,_ the demon in him raged. _Kill her and be done with this. _

It was at that moment that the demon had regained power over her, and Souunga had been thrust into him, through his abdomen.

He had never felt such before. His only concern had been to get away, for if the demon killed him, he would never be able to save Rin.

Now he was here, laying on this futon. He had slept for three days while Inuyasha's miko had tended to his wounds. She had done well. Her stitching was supurb, as well as her medicines that had dealt with his fever and other minor wounds. Combined with his demon blood, he had healed fast, and was now sitting up, staring upward toward the heavens. Or, rather, the thatched roof of the hut.

"Oh, you're awake," Kagome said from the door. She held a fresh bowl of water and some cloth. "I was going to check on your injuries."

"Do not waste your time. My injuries have healed," he said, not moving, not even acknowledging her presence other than his words. Sitting back, he held a blanket to himself.

"Where are my things?" he asked, most notably wanting his clothes. Kagome blushed slightly, for the first time noticing that she was alone, in a hut, with a naked youkai. She pointed to a trunk in the corner.

"I took them to my mom. She's great at sowing, and she repaired the damage to your hoari, as well as getting out all of the blood-stains."

He nodded. "What does my brother think of all this?" he asked, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Well . . . it did take a while to convince him to not leave you there to die. However, reason got the better of him."

"How so?"

"Whoever, whatever, did this to you, they are powerful. We need to know what to look out for."

His eyes narrowed, and she got the distinct feeling that she wouldn't be living much longer if it were his choice. "You will look for nothing. If I find that you or that brother of mine has become involved, I will kill you both."

Kagome, though she heard the threat, she also heard the underlying pain. She got the sudden urge to go over to him and place her hand on his shoulder, to comfort him.

Mentally, she shook herself. This was Sesshomaru. How could you comfort someone with no heart?

It was that moment that Inuyasha walked through the door. His stance clearly said that he was ready to fight. His hand settled on Tetsusaiga's hilt. "So, you've come to."

Sesshomaru barely acknowledged him. "I will leave shortly. Allow me to dress."

"Is that a command, _brother_?" he sneered.

"If I wish it, it will be done," he said, standing.

"Kagome, you should leave," Inuyasha said, pushing her out the door. She went willingly, but Inuyasha knew that she would want answers later. "What the fuck is going on? Huh? You show up here, near death, and now you order us to not get involved?"

"It is none of your business."

"If it can hurt you this way, how do you think it will affect me? Or Kagome? I can't afford to not know what I'm up against."

"I told you once. This Sesshomaru does not repeat himself."

"Here you go, again, with the "This Sesshomaru" shit. Ya know what I think? I think that you are hiding something." When Sesshomaru turned to look at Inuyasha, he added, "I think you're protecting someone."

His face grave, Sesshomaru drew back his arm and hit Inuyasha in the face, sending him out of the room. Closing the door, Sesshomaru dressed quickly, and soon exited the hut.

Catching his attention was a small child, a girl, around ten years old. She was running with a pail of flowers, her long brown hair flying around her. She laughed as a particularly long flower brushed her cheek. Sesshomaru watched as the girl ran into a hut, screaming, "Mommy!"

Soon the girl ran back out, her hand empty. "I'm going to go get some more, Mommy."

"Suki, you're going to pick the whole field clean," her mom said from the door. Sesshomaru recognized this woman. The demon slayer. Her eyes widened when she saw him. She only sneered and walked away. She obviously was not in the mood for a battle, and would rather walk away then put her family in danger.

Walking on, he reached the edge of the forest when he smelt him. Jaken.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, I thought I would find you here," he said, running up to the youkai. "I've looked for you for days. Are you all right, M'Lord?"

"Yes, Jaken. We shall move out now." He knew that his brother and the miko were watching them.

"Yes, M'Lord. Uh . . . where is Rin?" The little imp looked around slowly, thinking that she was hiding or playing a joke, as she had often done when she was younger.

"We shall find her. We will leave now."

Sesshomaru and Jaken walked into the forest. Only Sesshomaru knew the danger that they faced, yet he was prepared to do what it took to defeat this enemy. And gain his father's sword.

"Something fishy is going on here," Inuyasha said, staring after his brother. "Sesshomaru would never have walked away without a fight unless there was something more important going on."

"I agree," Kagome said, standing at Inuyasha's side. She watched after Sesshomaru, remembering her earlier impulses. _He's protecting someone,_ she thought to herself. She had heard the entire conversation. It wasn't terribly hard to miss.

Still . . . . _I wonder . . . ._

"Where was Rin? She's always by his side," Kagome asked, looking up at Inuyasha. "He would never go anywhere without her."

"Yeah, no kidding. It _is_ weird that she's missing," he said.

"You have no intention of staying out of this, do you, Inuyasha?"

"Feh, there's no way in hell I'm letting this go."

* * *

Rin walked on, still controlled by the demons. Inside, she screamed. She had been walking for days, never stopping, never resting. She felt tired, hungry, and her muscles cramped. She had had a stitch in her side for two days, yet the demon kept her going.

"Let me rest," she screamed at the youki inside of her. "My body will die if you do not stop."

"We will not let you die," Hakudoshi said aloud. "Our spirit will keep the body alive, even if you die, human."

She cried. Inside, she cried. "I hurt. My throat is so dry . . . ."

"Weak human. Enough of your complaining. Soon Naraku will be free, and we will kill you. Will that end your suffering?"

"Yes," she whispered. She wanted to die. And she would have, willingly, if only Lord Sesshomaru would have lived. She knew, in her heart, that he could not possibly be alive. The sword had torn through his stomach, and there had been so much blood . . . .

She didn't want to live in a world without him. He had taken her in, an orphan girl whom no one cared about. He had offered her protection, and, in his own small way, love. She had been infatuated with him from the time she was little, and that infatuation had grown into the love that she held for him now.

They walked on for another day, and she had begged that the demon kill her. Rin's heart beat a constant, rapid pace, and her stomach burned from lack of food and water.

It was at the end of that day that they came across a village. The demon within her raged. It craved blood. It wrapped her in its hate for humans, and soon the demon was charging, intent on killing every single person in the village.

Rin saw threw her eyes. There was a small boy on the edge of a field, watching his father plow. He never noticed that the demon was behind him.

_No!_ she screamed, but it was too late as Souunga swung down, and the boy's blood spilled. She could feel the resistance as she tore his flesh, she could feel the blood on her body. She watched in horror as he took his last breath. His lifeless eyes stared up at her as his soul was taken to the after-life. His blood covered her body.

The villagers screamed, and ran. Fires started out from left behind stoves, and some prepared to fight. They never stood a chance. Men, women, and children fell, until none were left alive. Rin was soaked in their essence, and her soul wept and mourned.

Their death was on her hands. If she had never taken hold of Souunga, if she had never followed after Lord Sesshomaru, if she had died that day with her family, these people, all of them, would still be alive.

Sadness consumed her, and she could only watch as the demon destroyed the village, setting free the Souunga. She raised her arm, and spun the sword around. Slowly, and then faster and faster she swirled the sword, until the dragon was released, and set loose the Dragon Twister. The large funnel consumed everything in sight, and could be seen from a hundred miles away.

When the wave of destruction had ended, she fell to the ground. Both the demon and Souunga were exhausted, and Rin finally slept, there, on the ground, amongst dead bodies and blood.

* * *

Sesshomaru watched as the Dragon Twister settled and fell.

"Dammit," he said under his breath. She had used it, Souunga's ultimate weapon. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride that she had the strength to do so.

"M'Lord, me thinks that such destruction looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it," Jaken said, scratching his head with one green hand. He waved the Staff of Skulls around, not knowing from where the enemy was going to strike.

"Jaken, we move in that direction."

"What?" he asked, his eyes large. _Travel toward the destruction? I should have known such would happen. Lord Sesshomaru is ever looking for power, but how far will he go for it?_

Yet Lord Sesshomaru was not in a mood to answer questions. He moved forward, his stride long, leaving Jaken behind.

It took them the rest of the night to reach the village. The scent of blood hit Sesshomaru first, and he could barely suppress the grimace of disgust at such a smell.

That's when they saw the bodies. They were strewn about, men and children, women and the elderly. They all lay dead, and their lifeless eyes held unanswered questions.

There, lying in the town square, lay Rin, her body unmoving. _Was she dead, then?_ Sesshomaru asked himself. He knelt beside her, careful to move the long, blood-stained hair from her face. She was covered in blood, yet it was not her own, he knew.

Rin looked haggard. Her lips were white and chapped, and her skin was ashen. Her hair, which, being that of a demon, should have been full and beautiful, lay limp and dull around her. Dirt and grime covered whatever parts of her body that weren't covered in blood.

"Rin," he whispered. _His_ Rin. Naraku had done this to her. Even from beyond the grave, the bastard still had the power to destroy people and their lives.

"Lord Sesshomaru, who is that? Is that Rin?" The servant squawked from beside Sesshomaru. "What on earth happened to her?"

"Jaken," he said, not even looking at the imp. "Leave. Now."

The imp nodded, and turned back to Ah-Un, who looked upon Rin with sorrowful eyes, as though he knew something that no one else did. As though he kept a secret.

The dragon carried Jaken away from the scene and into the adjacent forest to wait.

Sesshomaru stared at Rin for what seemed like an eternity. He felt that foreign pang in his chest again, and carelessly lifted his hand to rub at the area. How had he let this happen? Wasn't he strong enough to protect what was his?

Rin was a part of his life. He wasn't ready to let go of her. He remembered once, long ago, when he had wanted her gone, when he had thought that it would be best for her. Maybe it would have been. Yet, in the end, he couldn't have ignored her cries. In the end, he couldn't leave her behind. He hadn't been able to stand the sound of her cries, or the scent of her tears.

"Rin," he whispered again, and this time, her eyes opened.

The golden-red glow of her eyes was eerie. He knew that she was half-demon, but her eyes were different from Inuyasha's. They held a certain . . . danger, and mystery, to them. By looking directly in them, the beholder could not tell whether she was looking at them, or what she was thinking.

This was wrong, he realized. With _his_ Rin, her eyes held all of her feelings, all of her emotion. He could tell if she was happy, or sad. If she was hurt or sick, or just being playful.

What Naraku had done to her, to erase her soul in such a way, was unforgivable. He would kill this demon, composed of Naraku's minions. Naraku would never be allowed to walk this earth again.

"Sesshomaru," Kagura said through her body. "I'm surprised you aren't dead. It was a fatal mistake you made before. You should have killed this body. And you make the same mistake, again."

She thrust up with Souunga, and Sesshomaru ducked back, drawing his Tokijin from its sheath.

"Her death, should it occur, will result immediately in your own demise. I will ensure it."

She only laughed, the evil sound flowing over him like poisonous miasma. He could never have imagined that such a sound would come from Rin's innocent lips.

He charged forward, the flat of his sword pushing at her chest, knocking her back. She caught herself before feeling the ground, and she attacked instantly. Souunga instructed her, telling her how to move her body, how to trust the sword.

_I have fought with him before,_ it said. _I know his weaknesses. Aim for his right arm._

She did so, the demon obeying the orders, knowing that he was right.

The blade tore through Sesshomaru's right arm, spilling blood. He had no way to guard it, and it was always on the offensive. He had no way to protect his arm from attack.

It nicked him above the elbow, almost as though in warning.

He glanced down, momentarily, before resuming the battle.

* * *

There it is, the official fourth chapter. I hope you like it. As always, please review. See you in a day or two!!!


	6. Hell's Gate

Hey, everyone, Tears of My Heart here with another chapter. Hope you like! I know this chapter's a little short, but its still longer than my prologue, so I think I'm doing okay.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. If I did, Inuyasha and Kagome would be married and have a million kids, Kikyo would be dead by my own hands, and Sesshomaru would be never allowed to leave my house (And don't tell me you don't feel the same way!)**

* * *

Chapter Five

Hell's Gate

"Inuyasha, don't you think you should help?" Kagome asked, irritated that he had decided to just stand by and watch the battle.

"Hold on, would ya?" he snapped. "I'm trying to figure out who that girl is. She looks kinda familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Well, how many other half-dog demons do you know?" she said, one hand on her hip. She had long ago traded in the school-girl uniform for blue jeans and T-shirts. They were just easier to replace.

"None. As far as I know, I'm the only one. So, who is she, and how the hell did she get Souunga? How could you tell she was only a half-demon, anyway?"

"Do you even have to ask? Ask your brother about Souunga when you go help him. Now move!" she yelled, giving him a push. He stumbled out of the trees, falling to the ground.

"Hey, what the hell did you do that for?"

"Dammit, Inuyasha, get in there! Go fight, 'cause kami knows you haven't had a good one lately."

"Yeah, yeah." He withdrew Tetsusaiga from its sheath, and walked in. "Hey, Sesshomaru, looks like you could use some help."

"I warned you, Inuyasha. I will kill you," Sesshomaru said, his eyes still trained on Rin.

"Damn your pride, you need help. Whoever this is, she's obviously stronger than both of us, especially since she wields Souunga. So, let's just combine our forces and put an end to this, like last time."

"If only it were that simple, brother," Sesshomaru said, for the first time letting down his guard.

"Who is she to you?" Inuyasha whispered, knowing that Sesshomaru heard him none-the-less. Who was this that would make Sesshomaru hesitate to kill?

"Do you not recognize this body, Inuyasha? Do you not know who would make Sesshomaru falter?" she said, almost as if reading his mind.

_I know this voice_, he thought to himself. Hakudoshi.

"Someone should explain to me what the fuck is going, before I lose my patience and kill you all," he said, raising Tetsusaiga and feeling the demonic energy around them.

"Inuyasha, no," Kagome screamed. She lowered her bow. "It's Rin."

* * *

She had been pulled out of her slumber much too soon. Her body ached. Her throat burned. Her lips bled, they were so dry. Her stomach was on fire because she still hadn't eaten.

She was battling Lord Sesshomaru again. Though she was relieved that he was alive, it now meant that the demon would hold onto her longer. She prayed for death, prayed that it would come swiftly, and end this torture that she had come to know.

_Lord Sesshomaru, kill me. Kill me now._ Her soul screamed as loud as it could, and still it did not penetrate the demon. It forced her to fight, forced her to watch.

When he had pushed her back with his blade, the side had caught her breast. It had stung, and she could now feel the warm liquid of her blood as it soaked her already blood-stained kimono. She had felt the blade cut into his flesh, and she had wept.

_Release me, demon. Set me free to die._ It had laughed at her. Why free her when she was an effective weapon against Sesshomaru? Why let her die when their plans were still unfinished?

She had become what she had always feared. A burden to Lord Sesshomaru. He would never kill her, because she was an obligation to him, something there that was uninvited, yet could not be dismissed.

She cried. She hadn't cried in years, she'd had no reason. She had been happy, and now, all of her joy was erased.

Rin would never be the same again.

* * *

"What the fuck do you mean, 'its Rin'?" Inuyasha said, setting the tip of Tetsusaiga into the ground to lean on.

"Do I have to sing it for you? It's Rin." She smacked him on the back of the head. "You can't kill her."

"Yeah, well, she's suddenly half-demon. How the hell am I supposed to know who it is?"

"I knew. I could tell just by looking at her."

"You're a priestess, you _should_ be able to."

"You should be able to smell it, you dummy."

"Don't call me that, wench," he yelled, pointing his Tetsusaiga at Rin. "I was a little pre-occupied."

"With what, you . . . you _bone-head?_" she screamed, pulling her bow taut with an arrow as she, too, faced Rin.

"Mother of gods, you two sound like an old married couple," Kagura said, and Rin's arm trust forward for all to behold Souunga. "Are we going to fight, or what?"

"Hell yeah," Inuyasha smirked, only to have Tokijin's broadside slap him across the chest. Inuyasha stepped back as Sesshomaru blocked his path. For once, the half-demon was at a loss for words as his brother looked down at him from the corner of his golden eyes.

"You will not interfere," he said, his voice like pure ice. "You will leave _now_."

"Listen, I'm fighting someone today, and I'm taking the choice away from you," Rin said, charging at them. She aimed the sword at Inuyasha, swinging the sword in a wide arch. It caught the sleeve of his kimono, yet never cut his skin. He thrust up with Tetsusaiga, knocking Souunga away from him.

"Damn it," he ground out. "She's fast."

"We are testing her body, Sesshomaru. She cries out for death. Her spirit will only be alive for another day, I would guess, before she dies."

"Damn you," he said. "Let her go."

"Not until we have Naraku back."

"Then release him. I'd love the chance to kill that bastard again."

She laughed, deep and soundly. It reverberated around them, and their hearts stopped. What would make the demon laugh like this? Why did it roll around their brains, almost making the ground quake beneath them?

"Sesshomaru, if you insist . . . ."

She thrust the sword down into the ground, and the black soil rolled and pitched. She held fast to the hilt while the ground cracked and parted, and steam shot up from hell as it opened.

The screams of the dead reached their ears, and they cringed.

"Kagome," Inuyasha yelled, pulling her to his side. She reached out with one hand, and blue sparks flew from her finger-tips. More and more, they cascaded around them, forming a barrier between them and the suction of hell upon their souls.

The gateway was only a small hole, controlled by Souunga to not let out the dead.

Except for one.

"Did I not tell you that no one could defeat me, Inuyasha? Not even death could stop me."

_"Naraku!"_ Inuyasha screamed, and then he lunged into battle.

* * *

Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! The return of Naraku!!! Hope you like!!! As always, review, please. Toodles.


	7. Ageless Scars

Hey, here's yet another update! Please read, and if you like it, review.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha. Do you really think I do? Hmmm, lets think about this . . . .

* * *

**

Chapter Six

Ageless Scars

"Will you bear my children?"

Miroku moaned, his voice rough from sleep. He held the woman closer to him, nuzzling into her neck. He nibbled on her skin, and she shivered.

"Miroku!" Sango yelled. He jumped up, awake, his hair flying around his face. He looked so comically innocent that she couldn't help but laugh. "I already bore you a child."

She smiled as she kissed him in greeting. Sometimes she couldn't believe that he had really married her. _Although, _she thought to herself. _We have been married for five years, and poor Suki is almost eight._ She admitted to herself, she had been weak. Sometimes she wanted to cry when she thought about it. Not loving him, or even giving birth to their daughter. She wanted to cry at what she could so easily have lost.

Sango had been pregnant during their final battle with Naraku. It had been the night before when she and Miroku had made love, when they had created their beautiful child. If she had been killed, or even just injured . . . .

She shuddered, not wanting to think about it. She held him closer, her cheek brushing his chest.

"Sango, what are you thinking?" he asked, his strange wisdom showing through.

"Things that should not be dredged up." She thought of her brother, Kohaku. He had been buried in the old demon slayer village. Upon Naraku's death, he had also died. The jewel shard, no longer tainted with evil, had simply fallen from his back, and he had drawn only one last breath before falling to the earth in a lifeless heap.

The years had been long, and slowly Sango's heart had healed, with the help of Miroku and her friends.

"Daddy!" Suki screamed, throwing her arms around his leg. "Daddy, come play with me." She was relentless, and never tired easily.

"Go wait for me outside, Suki," he said, tousling her black hair.

"Okay," she said, and ran off for the fields where they had their morning fun.

"Where were we?" he asked, and glanced down at his wife. She laughed, knowing what he had in mind. His hand immediately went for her backside.

"You made our daughter a promise, so go play," she said, briefly touching the prayer beads looped double around his neck. These prayer beads had once concealed his Wind Tunnel, a curse placed upon his family by Naraku. He had so viciously cursed all of their lives, but once he had died, all of it was reversed.

_"DADDY!"_ Suki screamed. Fear clutched at the hearts of her parents.

Both ran for their daughter, their fear obvious as she grabbed her Hiraikotsu and Miroku snatched up his staff.

They ran. They had no choice. And what they saw stunned them.

Their little girl had her right wrist in a fierce grip with her left hand. From her hand, shafts of wind pulled everything in—trees, grass, even the soil from the ground.

"No," Miroku whispered as his own hand began to show signs of the tunnel being reformed in him. Reaching up, he quickly grabbed the beads from his neck and wrapped them around his wrist.

"Sango, go to Kaede, get her beads."

"Miroku . . . ."

"Hurry," he said, rushing forward. He ran up behind her, and slid down, catching her arms in his hands. "Close your fist, Suki. Close your right hand."

"I'm scared," she cried, her heart in her throat. Why was this happening to her? What had happened?

"I know, honey. I know," he said, holding his right hand up for her to see the hole in his own hand.

She snatched her fist shut, and the winds died. The tree that had been heading toward them fell to the ground harmlessly.

"Daddy," she cried, tears rolling down her face. "Why, daddy? What is this?" She turned and buried her face into his thick robes.

He held her fist shut with his own while his free hand stroked her hair.

"The Wind Tunnel is a curse that was placed on my grandfather. It was passed down to my father, and then to me. I thought I had broken the curse, Suki. It seems as if I didn't."

She stayed like that, only crying softly into his chest. An incredible sense of failure descended upon him.

"I will discover what has caused this, Suki. And I will destroy it."

* * *

"Naraku!" Inuyasha yelled, charging into battle.

"Inuyasha, so rash," he said, his deep voice filling their hearts with dread. With a flick of his hand, Rin was floating by his side. Her head hung limp, her hair cascading down her body in bloody strands. "Make a move toward me, and she dies. And to make the victory all the sweeter . . . ."

He swung his hands around, and held them straight out toward her. Pulling one hand back, the demon slowly pulled out of Rin, and she screamed as the pain of everything came back.

Injuries that she had sustained in demon form, injuries that the demon had healed, came to life on her body—scrapes from trees, gashes on her arms from the weapons of the villagers, and the horrible burn from days in the sun without protection.

She screamed as the memories flooded her brain, and it further drained her energy. She hadn't even the strength to look up at Naraku as he laughed at her, at her weakness.

"Stupid mortal. You should have let him die. Your life will now be forfeit because you couldn't stand to see your precious Lord Sesshomaru at death's door."

The demon standing behind him also laughed. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was there. She cringed inwardly.

He pulled her forward, until she was close, and he turned her so that she could see the whole scene. "I think we should stay and watch the show from here, don't you?" he said, his clawed her hand stroking down her cheek.

Inuyasha looked back at Kagome. Damn, he hated it when she was in these situations. He hated thinking that she was in danger.

Backing away, he stood in front of her, blocking the way of the enemy to her.

"Kagome, I want you to get out of here."

"Why? I'm stronger now. I can take care of myself," she said, knocking an arrow to her bow. She took aim at Naraku, and then thought better of it. She took dead aim at the demon.

Sesshomaru watched as the scene unfolded before him. He quickly formulated a plan of attack, using all of his skills as a warrior.

Flying forward, he grabbed hold of the forgotten Souunga, and used Tokijin's sheath to hold it. The sword protested, but its aura died quickly under the control of such a powerful master.

Then he looked up at Naraku. That bastard had the nerve to touch Rin's fair skin with his tainted hands, and he would pay for it. He was beside Naraku in an instant, his sword aimed at his throat.

Naraku used all of his strength to put up the barrier that he could. His triumphant return from hell had drained most of his energy, and he knew that he had to retreat soon.

"Aim for the barrier," he shouted down at Kagome.

"What?"

"His barrier is weak. Traveling back to the land of the living has beseeched him of his strength."

"Very good, Sesshomaru," Naraku said, his voice mild. "You have seen what Inuyasha and his miko failed to. I have no strength, and will thus leave you. And I will take my minions with me," he said, his body as well as the demon's dissolving. In a dark cloud of miasma, they flew off, back to hiding.

Naraku had thought briefly about taking the girl, yet that would only insight a hunt that he had not the energy to engage in. No, he would bide his time, and wait . . . .

* * *

Rin fell. Her body was weightless, suspended by unseen arms. Then she was falling, heavy and fast toward the earth.

Nothing was right.

No, something was wrong. She could not feel her legs, her hands and feet were numb. Her lips were dry and her tongue felt thick and cumbersome in her mouth. She felt as though she had cotton stuck to the roof of her mouth.

She gasped for air, yet her lungs burned with each inhalation. She wanted to cry, but her eyes would not even close when she commanded them to. She felt an arm encircle her, just when she thought she was going to hit the ground.

Golden eyes stared back at her before all went black, and she lost consciousness.

* * *

Another shorty!!! Goodness, I didn't realize the last few chaps would be so short. It will NOT always be this short, I promise you. There are still some ten chapters. Also, I really do like reviews. Please tell me what you think, and to the people who make up the 409 hits so far, I really, really luv each and every one of you. 'Til next time, toodles.


	8. Western Land's Remembrance

What's up? Me, again, with another chapter. First week of classes are over, and everyone knows that's the easiest time of the semester, so I may not be posting everyday like I do now, especially with the classes I'm taking (gag)!!! So, here's the chapter, enjoy!!! This chapter will be presented in italics because it is a memory.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I really, really wish I did, but _no_, I spent the better part of my teen years writing vampire stories and not coming up with something wicked cool like this. Damn my luck!

* * *

**

Chapter Seven

Western Lands' Remembrance

_It had been eight years since she had last seen the Western Lands, over which Lord Sesshomaru ruled. He had taken her there only once, when she was eleven. She had been mystified by this place, of which she had only heard a few things about. Master Jaken had told her that it was beautiful place, with a magnificent manor and a lively village of demons who were under the Lord's protection._

_When she had first seen the place, she had thought that this was surely heaven. The courtyard held an array of demons—every color, type, shape, and design. Some held wings, some held scales. She had gasped at the beauty of it all. The manor itself was white trimmed and slate gray, and held well to the climate. The sun had glinted off of the walls surrounding the manor, wall of protections, and all she could think of was that she never wanted to leave this place._

_She had been riding Ah-Un, and all she could see was Lord Sesshomaru's back, but she had smiled her brightest that day._

_The reception at the courtyard was hushed. They had noticed the human girl traveling with Lord Sesshomaru this day. He was known far and wide for his hatred of humans, and this amazed and angered them. They had come here to his domain because they, too, shared a deep hatred of the weaker species._

_Soon after arriving, he had called to her to follow him. She had run up to his side and walked with him through the halls. Finally, he had stopped in front of a door._

_"This is your room for the duration of our stay." He slid open the door, and she stepped around him to gaze at the room._

_She gasped._

_The room was adorned in black, with patches of sakura flowers all over. The drapes over the windows held blue flowers and small purple butterflies. The covering of her futon sported deep red patches. In one corner was a fancy screen for changing. At the opposite end was a desk, with learning material scattered on it._

_She took a wary step in, looking back up at him. And then another. She felt the sanded wood beneath her feet, and realized with a start that the floor was not cold. Not like the little shack that she had had all to herself in the village._

_"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," she said, tears in her voice. He looked down at her curiously._

_"Do you not like it, Rin?"_

_"I love it, My Lord. I have never seen such as this."_

_Of course she hadn't. She had only known the village, and beyond that, life traveling with him. He looked down at her dark head, and thought back. She had been so small when she had found him, but she had grown over the last years. She now reached his waist, and her black hair reached down to her hips. She was already starting to show the signs of blooming womanhood. Her eyes held a certain wisdom, a certain knowledge of the world that few her age knew of. She had seen things that many would have dreaded and shied away from. Yet she faced it head on, knowing that he was there to protect her. Knowing that she was the only light in his dark world._

_He left her to become accustomed to her new accommodations. She paced the room, taking in every detail. Every nook. Every cranny. She sat on the futon and lay down, trying it out. She stretched out, noting the difference between it and the cold, hard ground that she was otherwise used to. She rather liked it._

_Yet it was only because her Lord Sesshomaru was here. He approved of this place, it was his home, and therefore she loved it more than anything._

_It was another few hours before afternoon came, and she had nothing to do. She was bored. She could not very well be expected to stay here all day, could she?_

_She took a cursory step from the room, her eyes roaming the hallway. She walked out, looking everywhere, taking in all of the sights of the palace._

_Stepping out into the sunlight, she found the properties to be even more beautiful. The fields were filled with wild-flowers, and the trees where allowed to grow tall and full. Demons filled the village, each doing this or that. Some of the woman carried water from the well, others washed clothing or talked with friends. The men trained, and their skill as fighters was undeniable. Lord Sesshomaru had trained these men to be the best in all of Japan. Some men tilled the fields, and some even tended to the animals._

_Rin stood atop the hill watching all of this, feeling strangely at home. The feeling washed over her, and she sighed._

_Some of the demon children were playing nearby. She wanted to join them, she wanted to make friends with them._

_They were playing over by the trees. They had seen her coming, and had stopped in their revelry. They only looked at her._

_"Hi," she said, walking up the oldest boy. He didn't say anything back. "I saw that you were playing, and was wondering if I could join you?"_

_"Why?" he asked, his blue skin darkened by the sun and his purple eyes turning a deeper shade of violet._

_"I just wanted to," she said, looking up at him hopefully. "I don't have any friends . . . ."_

_"That's because you are a human amongst demons."_

_"That's what Lord Sesshomaru says," she whispered, her eyes downcast. "Still, could you let me join your game?"_

_"Sure, we were playing 'Run Away,'" he said, glancing back at the others. They quickly nodded in agreement._

_"What's that?" Rin squeaked, excited that she had been accepted._

_"Well, one person is the 'run away,' and the others have to chase them down and capture them. It's a demon game. And since you're new, you have to be the 'run away.'"_

_"All right," she said, and soon the game began. She ran as fast as she could through the forest, while the other demons chased her. There were times when she was so far ahead that she couldn't even hear them behind her._

_She leaned back against a tree and waited, giggling. She could hear them now; they were just on the other side of the tree. Jumping out, she laughed, until something skimmed across her cheek._

_She gasped, reaching up to touch the blood that trailed down her face. And then something else hit her, again and again. The pain was sharp, and cut through her. She looked down to see what it was._

_Rocks. They were throwing rocks at her. But why? What had she done wrong?_

_She turned to ask why when more bombarded her, and she fell, covering her face with her arms. And she cried. The tears mingled with the dirt on the ground, and she could only look down as the assault continued._

_"Come on, guys," one of the younger ones said. "This is boring. Let's go play something else."_

_"Fine," the oldest said. He sneered down at Rin, who had peaked one eye open slowly. "Demons and humans don't get along. Got it. You don't belong in our world."_

_Lord Sesshomaru, she thought. Why couldn't she belong in his world? In so many years, why had he not let her go? If they didn't belong together, then why did he not send Rin away?_

_Pulling herself up, she looked down at her arms, which were cut and bloody. Her legs were the same, and her orange and white kimono was torn. She reached up and found that her hair had mud and leaves in it. She touched her face, knowing that blood and dirt, as well as the mixture of her tears, covered her face._

_Never. She would never have treated anyone like this, demon or human. And she would never have let someone else do this to someone. When she had seen these children play, it was not that they were demon or human, but that they were her age, or as close to her age as demons where, since that they aged much slower, and that they were someone that she could be friends with._

_Picking herself off of the ground, she moved back until she felt the deep roots of the tree behind her. Propping herself up, she curled into a ball and looked around, realizing that she didn't know the way back to the palace. So, she waited, knowing that Lord Sesshomaru would come for her._

_She thought back. She couldn't help it. With all that transpired, she couldn't help but wonder why her Lord hadn't left her. Why he had even brought her here in the first place. She had no illusions that he liked her company. She had no illusions that he loved her. So why?_

_With a head full of questions, and a heavy heart, she fell asleep._

_Her Lord Sesshomaru found her there sometime in the early morning. He hadn't noticed that she was missing until dinner, and even then he had been so busy that he hadn't given a second thought to the missing girl._

_Sometime before he was to retire, he had checked her room, to find that the room was empty. None of the servants had seen her. None of the villagers had seen her. Even Jaken, as devoted as he was to the girl, hadn't noticed her absence._

_He had caught her scent near the village, and had followed it deep into the forest. He could not fathom why she would head into the forest. Though his lands were vast, if she had mistakenly wandered off of his property, she would no longer be under his law, and would be subject to any number of dangers._

_When he found her, she was curled up against a tree. The cold wind reduced her to shivering, and she tucked her small hands closer to her cheek. Cuts and scrapes were raw against the pale moonlight, and he saw a part of himself that he had never thought existed._

_Rage. Pure and utter rage that tore through him. Who had done this? They would pay. Why had they done this? They would never have the chance to tell him._

_He bent down and plucked her up from the ground. He held her bridal style, and she instinctively moved in closer to his warmth. She whimpered slightly, and then quieted, still asleep._

_Turning, he walked back toward the manor. When he neared the palace, he knew that the tenants would be there, waiting for him to get back._

_And so they were. All of them were in his courtyard, since they had all been awakened by news of the missing child._

_Marginally, he held her closer. They would never dare attack him; yet her, she was just a human to them. When he reached the entrance, he turned again to them._

_"She is my ward. Let this be a warning: any who dare to harm her will incur my wrath. Do not cross me, you will regret it."_

_Then he left them._

_They were dumbfounded. Yes, he had always given orders, and dictated law, yet none had ever witnessed a proclamation of such before. This girl was now under his protection, under his care. He could no longer abandon the child. She was his.

* * *

_

_"Rin," he said, laying her down on her futon. She moaned at the loss of the warmth. "Rin, wake up."_

_"Lord Sesshomaru?" she said, her eyes peeking open. "Why, Lord Sesshomaru?"_

_"Why what?" he asked, kneeling down beside her._

_"Why do you keep me? I am human, and can never change, yet you keep me anyway."_

_"Yes, Rin, you are human," he said. "And I do not keep you. You may leave if you wish."_

_"I do not wish it," she cried, tears rolling from her eyes. "Yet it will happen anyway. I will grow old and die, and not even your sword can bring me back. Why, then, do you keep me?"_

_"Rin," he said, his patience thinning. "I do not keep you."_

_"Will you remember me when I have gone?" she said, crying more. "I asked you once, and you never answered. You evaded the question, like always. Will you remember me when I have gone?"_

_"Don't be stupid, Rin. It's such a foolish thing." Why was she asking this of him?_

_"Its not foolish to me!" she screamed, sitting up. "I have no one but you. I have no one who will remember me when I have died. No one will know that Rin existed except for you. Will you remember me?" Her small hand reached up to furiously wipe the tears from her eyes. She hated that she cried. She knew that it was weakness to him. Yet she could not stop the angry droplets that fell from her eyes._

_"Why do you ask me this, Rin? What happened to you that you would think this way?"_

_"Demons and humans don't belong together. Demons will live for hundreds and thousands of years, while humans only have a few short ones. I will only live a short life, and I want to know that you will think of me when I am gone."_

_He stood and walked away, leaving her to cry to herself. As the door slid shut, she pressed her palms to her eyes.

* * *

_

People, people, I'm seeing lots and lots of hits, but only a few reviews (And to those who did, big hugs from the other side of the computer screen). What is going on with that? The button is right there (insert clever little arrow pointing to the lower left hand corner of the webpage here). Please review, they really do help. I need to know how I'm doing since I am contemplating turning this into a trilogy or a quartet, and I need to know if you are interested in something like that. Okay, I am so in the middle of a 'coffee fueled sermon' (Thank you, Spongebob), so I'll stop rambling and wish you a great weekend!!! 'Til next time, toodles!!!


	9. Old Enemies, New Family

How's it going everyone? I'm certainly enjoying my day off . . . well, I'm studying, but that's beside the point.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and no amount of wishing on fake Shikon Jewels will make it true.

* * *

**

Chapter Eight

Old Enemies, New Family

Rin slept for eight days. Sesshomaru rarely left her side, doing so only to train with Inuyasha. They knew that the coming battle would require all of their combined strength, and they thus had come to an understanding.

The monk had joined their cause, and all had understood after revealing what had transpired with his daughter. The slayer would stay and care for the girl, yet Inuyasha's miko would stay by their side.

They had traveled back to the village, since it was a shorter distance. Also, Kagome could travel back to her world for medicine and first aid with ease.

When Rin opened her eyes, she was alone in a hut. She tried to sit up, but the pain that laced through her body was enough to knock the breath out of her. She sank back to the mat, and took a mental inventory of her injuries. No broken bones, no missing limbs. All she felt was pain in her muscles, and in her head.

She knew what she had done. With the demon in her, she had slaughtered so many people. It made her sick. All she could remember was a haze of red, and then she had felt blood all over her. She had almost killed Lord Sesshomaru.

She remembered Inuyasha and Kagome stepping in. She had been grateful for their interference, because if it hadn't been for them, the battle between Lord Sesshomaru and her would have raged on until one or both of them were dead.

And she had released Naraku from his final resting place. He had come out through hell, and was now a threat to them all once again.

She should never have let this happen. She should have been strong enough. She should have known what they were plotting.

The door to the room slid open, and Kagome walked in.

"Hey, you're awake," she said, setting down the basin of water and fresh bandages. "How do you feel?"

"Like someone dropped a tree on me," she said.

_Is that my voice_, she thought. It was dry, raspy. She moaned when a fresh wave of pain hit her.

Kagome was at her side immediately.

"Here, take these," she said, holding up two pills and a cup of cool water.

"What are those?" Rin asked, pointing vaguely toward them.

"Just some conveniences from my place," she said, a smile on her face. "They're kind of like compressed herbs. They will help with your pain."

Rin took them slowly, one by one, and then lay back.

"Sleep now, Rin," Kagome said, her voice soothing. "You still have a lot of healing to do. I will let everyone know that you are progressing."

By everyone, she meant Lord Sesshomaru. Rin closed her eyes, and his face immediately took form in her mind. She breathed deeply, knowing that he was angry with her, that he would undoubtedly banish her from him when she was well. He had told her not to take Souunga from the demon, and she had disobeyed him, resulting in a mess the likes of her had never imagined.

She stared up at the ceiling, knowing that sleep was inevitable. She delayed it as long as possible, and dwelled on the horrible memories that spun in her mind.

She felt herself loosing consciousness. She was so weak, and could no longer keep her eyes open. Before falling into slumber, all she saw was a dark figure walk into the hut and sit next to her.

_Lord Sesshomaru_, she thought.

* * *

Swords clashed.

Metal scraped against the wind, the hiss almost deafening.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fought, their skills honed for battle. The contrast in the two had always amazed her.

Sesshomaru was cold. His veins were filled with ice when he went into battle. He was fearless, calculating. He never made a move without thinking it through, without anticipating all outcomes.

Then there was Inuyasha. Kagome struggled to suppress a smile. He was rash. Flighty. Never thinking things through, he always ran into battle without a plan or strategy. Nothing scared him, and that was his downfall. He was easily bated, and never thought with his mind, only his heart.

She wished that he would see that she loved him.

Yet now was not the time for that. Naraku was once again amongst them, and they needed to find a plan that would defeat him once and for all.

At least now they had Souunga. Sesshomaru never took the sword from its sheath, never allowed it freedom. In his training, he used Tokijin for everything.

Inuyasha wielded Tetsusaiga expertly, occasionally taking advice from his brother, though she knew it was hard for him to accept. She practiced daily with her bow, and was now learning to wield a sword, since in battle her enemy would not always be far away.

She looked next to her at Miroku. He looked worn, almost defeated. His daughter, now sharing his curse, was weighing heavy on his heart.

He looked back at her and smiled.

"We will win, Kagome," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We did it once before. All we have to do is work together."

"I know, Miroku," she said, glancing back at the battling brothers. "If we could do it once before, we can do it again. Hell," she said. "If those two can learn to work together, than anything is possible."

At this, the brothers turned and looked at her. It was as though they had just realized that that was what they were doing. Inuyasha sneered.

"Feh, _me_, work with _him_? Never," he said, leaning on Tetsusaiga.

* * *

Rin slowly paced the room. It had been three days since she had woken up, and she was progressing slowly.

She noted that it was dark outside. Good. She didn't want them to worry about her. She had been working herself, gaining strength with each day. Soon she would be able to wield her Ni-Kiba once again.

Anger burned through her. She wanted revenge on the man who had done this to her, this man who had taken away her soul.

Never would she have thought that someone would invade her in such a way, to push into her and prod at the memories and feelings that she had kept so secret. She felt violated, raped, beyond all repair.

She knew the end was coming. She would defeat Naraku, and then she would leave. Leave her Lord Sesshomaru. Leave the life that she had come to cherish. Leave everything.

She was no longer the girl who would pluck flowers along the path just because they were beautiful and she wanted to compare them to her lord. She was no longer the girl that would sing at the top of her lungs just because she felt like it. She was no longer a girl.

She was a woman. She was strong, and valiant, and determined to kill this man.

With each day that passed, her resolve grew until there was nothing left but the hollow shell of a person.

Kagome had even noticed the change in the girl. Noticed that her eyes were not laughing and bright, but cold and flat. They were not the eyes of the girl that had come into their lives over a decade ago.

Now was the time to end things. Now was the time for revenge.

* * *

Okay, this one is super short, but its more for filler than anything. You will LOVE the next chapter, I promise. Stay patient, I will post it tomorrow, and I await your reviews. Until then, toodles.


	10. Night Brings Out The Demon

Hey, me again. It's taken me a little longer to get this one up, and I don't really know why. This is the first time today that I have been on the computer, and its almost nine-thirty. Wow, something must be wrong with me . . . . I must be getting sick. Anyway, on with the story, and this is the chapter where I expect a ton of reviews. To those who have diligently reviewed my story, thank you so much, you will get a shout out at the end of the story! I luv you all!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Naraku, or Koga, much to my dismay.

* * *

**

Chapter Nine

Night Calls Out the Demon

Their training continued well into the month following Naraku's return. Sesshomaru was inwardly impressed with Inuyasha's progress. Had he not been the half-breed he was, Sesshomaru would have probably seen the warrior that Inuyasha could be sooner.

Once they were done for the day, they would all sit and eat dinner, and the others would talk while he observed. He watched tonight as the friends interacted.

Sango and Miroku sat close together, and she reached around back to grasp his behind in her hand. He reached back and removed her hand, and leaned down to kiss her neck and whisper in her ear. His blush could be seen over the firelight.

Inuyasha roared with laughter. "Now you know what it feels like, don't you, Monk?"

Miroku only glanced at him indignantly before turning back to his wife.

Suki was sitting in Kagome's lap, and Kagome was braiding her hair. The girl squealed.

"I'm gonna look pretty, just like Mommy."

"Yes, you are, Suki," Kagome said, tying the end. The girl ran off, stifling a yawn as she went off to bed. The older woman watched after the girl a little sadly. Sesshomaru understood. She was aging, and because Inuyasha aged slowly, he figured he had all the time in the world to sort out his feelings for her. Yet she would grow old. She was already in her late twenties, and still they were only friends. Close friends, Inuyasha claimed. The kind of friend with whom you do not become romantically involved.

He saw him turn to Kagome, and ask for more food. And not very nicely.

Then he saw something he had only seen a handful of times, and each one was equally rewarding. The first incident where he had witnessed it, he had used all of his restrain to not laugh at the sight.

"Inuyasha," she said, warning in her voice. He stopped, and looked down at her with wide eyes.

"No, no, not that," he said, reaching out to try to cover her mouth with his hands. "You wouldn't do that to me, would ya, Kagome?"

"Inuyasha," she said again, this time in a deceptively singsong voice. "_Sit!_"

He hit the ground face first, his arms out at his sides. He began to swear furiously. "That hurts, ya know? Try it sometime."

"Don't make me . . . ."

This time he succeeded in clasping his hand over her mouth. She could only moan angrily at him as he used his weight to bring her down to the ground. Her hair was flung around them, as well as his, and he only laughed.

Until he looked down at her eyes. They were not furious . . . they were . . .

_Oh, damn,_ Inuyasha thought. Their bodies were flush together, their arms and legs entwined. It was as if he was just noticing . . . .

"No more 'sit'?" he asked, sitting back up.

"No," she said, her voice a little raspy. "Be nicer to me. I don't think you'd know what to do without me."

"Feh," he snorted, leaning back against the wall behind him.

* * *

Later that night, Sesshomaru leaned back against the wall of the hut he was given. He had trained himself to live with as little sleep as possible.

It was late. No villagers bustled about. No children played in the fields. No one was there.

Except for her. He could smell her, the fear in her soul, and the bitter smell of her frustration. She paced along her hut every night, building her strength, except for tonight. Tonight, he heard her slide the door open, heard her walk quickly from the village and into the forest.

He raised his head, knowing what dangers lay in the forest. She should know herself, and her life was one great testimony to that fact. There were demons, bandits, wild animals, and the plotting of Naraku. He could target her again, knowing that she was weak and that she was Sesshomaru's one weakness.

He followed her, yet he knew that she had stopped somewhere ahead of him. He heard the sound of her feet rushing over the ground, the sharp intake of her breath, the salty smell of sweat.

When he broke through the brush, he paused, taking in the sight of her.

She held her Ni-Kiba before her, her feet running over the harsh ground of the clearing. She swung her sword to the side, neatly slashing at the invisible enemy. Ducking back, she twisted the weapon in her hand and thrust back, gauging the adversary behind her. Her body twisted, and she flew up, kicking out with her leather-clad foot.

He had trained her well. He knew her capabilities, her strengths and weaknesses. Yet this was different. She was here out of anger. She was here to prepare for battle. He could sense the waves of hatred that flowed off of her aura. He had no trouble guessing who she saw in her mind as she slashed at the air.

The demon slayer's clothing suited her, he thought. She had probably stolen it when everyone thought she was sleeping.

He smiled. A slight up tilting of the corner of his mouth as he watched her fight at thin air. She was angry. She was furious. She would, this night, lose these emotions.

Stepping forward, he made sure to snap a twig easily beneath his weight, and watched in amusement through his cold eyes as she stopped. His mask was steely, and held no hint of the smile that he had held only moments ago.

Turning to him, she let her sword fall to her side. She caught her breath, looking up at him with sad eyes.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she said, bowing her head.

"Rin," he said. "You hold hatred in your heart."

"Yes," Rin answered, not even able to hide it. She raised her eyes to his. "I want Naraku dead. I want revenge on what he did to me."

"Hatred is not wise. It serves no purpose other than to cloud one's mind."

"Yes, My Lord," she said, acquiescing too quickly.

"You have no intention of cleansing yourself of this?" He pulled Tokijin from his sheath. "If you are to hold hatred in your heart, it will not be there for long."

Swallowing slowly, she watched as he prepared himself to fight. Anticipating the attack, she fell back, allowing Tokijin to slice neatly at air as she rolled and caught herself. Swinging up, she blocked his attack with her own sword. The sound of metal scraping gave pause to the forest.

"What are you waiting for, Rin? Take your anger, your frustration, on me. Lay them at my feet."

"Why?" she whispered. Her heart beat fast against her ribs, and her breath came out in short gasps.

"It has no place in your heart. Let me take this burden from you."

"Yes," she said, thrusting up, running at him. He dodged her attacks, sidestepping her thrust to his stomach.

How long the battle raged, she knew not. It seemed as though they were locked in an eternal struggle that neither could win, neither could lose. The steel of the swords rang loudly in her ears, the crunch of the cold ground beneath her feet, the sharp wind as it blew in her face and caught at her hair. She hadn't even time to wipe the sweat from her eyes as her weak body nearly gave out. Her body had not fully recovered from her possession, and now was being taxed for not healing before beginning her training. Yet she refused to give up, refused to submit.

She swung upward, and when blocked, she swung down. He flew at her, knocking her off of her feet. She watched as he stood back and waiting. Quickly, he shed his cumbersome pelt and armor. His white hoari caught the moonlight, and he looked as much the angel she had thought him to be when she first laid eyes on him.

Though her muscles ached, and it hurt to draw breath, she got up slowly. She cried out, and again brought down her sword toward him. This time, she caught his shoulder, and blood trickled down his arm.

"You are not going easy on me, are you, Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, watching the silky red blood stain his hoari.

"Never," he said, pushing forward and aiming Tokijin for her heart. She caught the broadside of his sword with her hand, shoving it away like an annoyance. Sweeping down, she went for his legs, but he only jumped, effectively evading her attack.

He flew up, and she caught at his sleeve, pulling herself up into the air as he left the tree tops behind. She sheathed Ni-Kiba, and used hand-to-hand combat tactics. She hit at his chest, and he threw her into the air.

The drop to the ground seemed to take forever. She could see him above her, so far away. Time seemed suspended as she fell, her body weightless and free. The stars beyond him sparkled down at her, and she hoped that whatever fates that guided their lives would look down on her now.

The trees fell past her, and she waited, anticipating the pain . . . .

That never came. One strong arm encircled her, pulling her against him as he landed deftly on the ground.

She set her feet down, feeling the earth beneath her. She then felt his arm fall away from her.

Pain laced through her body. She felt the cut that had previously lacerated her flesh, and she looked down. His Tokijin in hand, he had caught her hip, and blood spilled from the wound. She staggered back, realizing that it had happened before she had even fallen through the air.

"Why?" she asked. "Why are you doing this to me? Is not my pain enough without your turning on me?"

"Haven't you figured it out?" he asked, sheathing his blood-stained sword.

"No," she said, her weak legs finally giving out. He untied the sheath from his hip and threw it to the ground beside his discarded armor. Then he pulled her up from the earth.

"There is a hot spring nearby," he said, nodding off in its direction. "You are tired. I should not have allowed you to overexert yourself this night." Gathering his things, he led her through the thick forest until they came upon the steaming pool.

He left what he had by a tree and stepped next to her.

"Wash yourself and we will go back to the village. You need sleep."

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," she said, averting her eyes from him. Could he see the misery behind their black depths? Could he see how she wanted to be relieved of this pain?

"Rin," he said, hooking a clawed finger under her chin.

"Yes?" she asked, her eyes unable to focus on anything but the man in front of her. His thumb grazed her cheek, sending chills down her spine, and her breath hitched in her throat.

"Do not let Naraku crush your spirit."

"I don't know if I can ever be the way I once was. I feel raped," she whispered, tears stealing down her face. "He allowed his minions free reign over my body, and they took it upon themselves to look into my soul. To find my deepest, darkest secrets and play with them. I cannot forget what he did to me."

"No, Rin. You will never forget," he said. "But I can make it right."

His lips covered hers, and she gasped against his mouth. He pulled her into his embrace, his strong arm encircling her small body as she trembled. More tears escaped her eyes, though they were no longer of sadness and pain. She reached a tentative hand up, and slowly slid it into his silky, white tresses.

He pulled her close briefly before releasing her.

She felt him pull back, and she let him go, although hesitantly.

"Go," was all he said as he turned away and disappeared into the forest.

Sighing shakily, she looked at where he had just been and reached up to touch her lips. _Had that just happened?_

Her first kiss, she thought. This had been her first kiss, and with the man she loved, to say the least. She smiled, her whole heart lighting her face. Her eyes lost the cold, glassy stare that had been present for the last few weeks. Her cheeks were dusted with the faint blush that had often accompanied her childish fantasies. She felt so free, so light and able to love.

He had healed her heart with a kiss.

* * *

Ahhhhh!!! Told ya it would be good!!! So, please review, double please!!! 


	11. I Can Make It Right

Yes! I got a good handful of reviews for chapter nine, and I hope to keep getting the same good reviews!!! There are still quite a few chapters, and hopefully you all like the coming drama. Now, on with the story!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Kinda wish I did, though. Oh, well (hangs head and cries a little).

* * *

**

Chapter Ten

I Can Make It Right

Rin sank gently into the hot spring. She felt the comforting warmth of it envelope her aching body as the water lapped at her skin. Finding a ledge under the water, she sat and let the soothing nature of the spring wash over her.

She reached back and let her hair fall into the water, and when she pulled up she slicked it back from her face. Running her fingers through it, she undid any tangles in it. She noted with a frown that there were a few leaves in her tresses. They had undoubtedly gotten there during her fight with Lord Sesshomaru.

She rested there for what seemed like an eternity before she felt clean enough to get out.

After standing by the steam for a moment to dry, she quickly donned her slayer's clothes before gathering Ni-Kiba, as well as Lord Sesshomaru's things. She walked into the forest, knowing her way to the village. She never got lost anymore. Not since that one time in the Western Lands.

When she came back to the clearing where their battle had taken place, she saw him standing in the middle, staring up at the dark night sky. As she watched him, she noticed how wise he seemed, how ancient, and yet so young. His youthful face hadn't changed since she had first known him. He was always on her mind, always. He was her reason for living, literally. She would be dead many times over if it weren't for him. She owed him her life.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she said, stepping forward. Her heart was in her throat. What was to happen now? Would he regard her as he always did? Or would they change?

He turned to watch her as she came closer. His pelt and weapons were in her hands, as well as his armor. He stood before her now in only his kimono. She would have thought that without his armor he would be vulnerable, but then she mentally shook herself. This was Lord Sesshomaru. He could never be anything but intimidating.

She stood before him, his gaze turning her knees to water. Rin could only watch as he reached down and took his things from her and replaced his armor on his body. He wrapped his pelt over his shoulder. Then, he tied his sword to his obi, and reached out a hand.

She looked down at his clawed hand, and gently laid her own in his hold. She then turned her gaze back to his. He lead her back through the forest to the village, and then, to her hut.

Leading her inside, he found her a clean kimono and left her to change and bandage her wounds.

When she was done, she went outside to find him. He was again looking up at the sky. What could he be thinking, now, at this moment? What could be plaguing his mind? Rin wanted desperately to ask him, to be as bold in her curiosity as she had been in her youth.

Walking over to him, she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. He gazed down at her briefly before turning back to the wonder of the stars.

Rin hated what was happening within her. One half of her soul was aching for the peacefulness that Lord Sesshomaru asked of her. He wanted to take away her pain, to let him handle her anger and her revenge. This one side of her soul wanted to be the girl that she had been once, carefree and light, only knowing that Lord Sesshomaru would care for her, and that she loved him more than anything.

The other part of her wanted her revenge. It cried out that it was hers, and that she would not be denied this because it was hers. She wanted Naraku's head. She wanted his blood on her hands. She wanted this battle. Rin wanted to make him feel as helpless and desperate as she had been when his demons had been swimming around in her mind.

Gazing up at the ancient stars, she silently asked their advice. Should she quench her thirst for revenge, or should she lay this at her Lord's feet? He would never let her down, she knew. He would make Naraku pay. Yet what would become of her if he did? She would be just another burden. She had been his burden her entire life and she refused to do so anymore.

She shivered in the night air. When had it become so cold? When had the summer become fall? When had the fall become early winter? She thought back and realized that it had all happened so quickly she hadn't even noticed. She would never do such again. Her life had been compromised, and she could never take for granted what would always be there.

Soon her eyes grew heavy and her breath slowed. Sesshomaru looked down at her, and took quick note of her exhaustion. He watched as she stifled a yawn and closed her eyes. Silently, he guided her back into the small hut.

"Go to sleep, Rin," he said, watching as she lay on the mat. She pulled a blanket over herself.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, preparing herself for sleep.

"Yes, Rin," he paused at the doorway.

"Thank you."

* * *

Rin peeked her eyes open slowly the next morning.

A set of beady black ones stared back.

"Master Jaken," she said, her excitement evident. She hadn't seen him since that last day before her transformation, and she had worried about him and Ah-Un.

"Silly girl, look at the mess you have gotten us in," he said, crossing his short arms. She almost laughed, except that he looked so serious.

"It's a bit late for lectures, Master Jaken," Rin said, her soft eyes looking him over. "I didn't hurt you or Ah-Un, did I?"

"No, Rin, you did not. You should not have been so foolish. Your rash behavior almost killed Lord Sesshomaru," he said, but then his eyes roamed over her. "Have you long yet to recover?"

"No. It may be a few more days for me to find my full strength, though." Sitting up, she looked down at him. She could have killed him, she thought. She could have hurt him and Ah-Un, the only other people besides Lord Sesshomaru to care for her. They had raised her, had ensured her safety when her lord could not be there. They had been her friends.

Rin felt the tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. She wished that she had not been so weak. If the demon had wanted them dead, she would not have been able to stop them. She stifled a cry and allowed one small tear fall from her eye.

"What is that? Are you crying, you silly chit?"

"Yes, Master Jaken."

"Whatever for?" he asked, his small eyes becoming large. She reached out and took his small hand in her own.

"I could have killed you and Ah-Un. I'm so ashamed of what I allowed to happen," she said, her large black eyes watery and heavy-lidded. Her hair hung around her, the kimono that she had slept in was wrapped tightly around her legs.

"Huh, as if a silly human like you could have destroyed me. My Staff of Skulls would have taken care of you long before you could even strike." He lifted his chin proudly, until he heard her sniffle. He set his eyes on her.

In all the years he had known her, she had been nothing but a bother. An annoyance. At the same time, she had been here for twelve years, and though twelve years was a pittance to demons such as him and Lord Sesshomaru, it was long enough that he couldn't imagine waking up in the morning to find that she had surrounded his sleeping form in a moat of flowers. Or that Ah-Un had a crown of weeds encircling each of his heads. Or that she herself was covered in chains of the flowers, and that the sickeningly sweet smell of them would cling to her all day. Lord Sesshomaru should never have taken pity on her as he did, because she had never left.

Yet now, she seemed so grown up to be so mature in only a matter of weeks that he realized that what had happened to her had honestly hurt her, had almost crushed her spirit. He realized with a start that he didn't want that to happen. That _not_ waking to flowers and her sweet scent, though once would have been considered a blessing, would leave them all missing what had been left.

He watched the woman before him as she wiped at her tears. He would never admit it, because in his and Lord Sesshomaru's eyes it would be considered weak, but since he had never mated, he had never had children. She was like a daughter to him.

He grasped her hand in his own withered one, and sat next to her on the mat.

"Rin, you're such a stupid child," he said bluntly. "You dawdle, pick flowers, run races with me against my will, and constantly sing at the god-awful top of your lungs. You stare after our lord with puppy eyes. You dance and laugh. I'm going to miss that," Jaken said with an uncharacteristic smile. "I can see now our future, for you have changed."

"Yes, Master Jaken," she said, closing her eyes. Soon she was asleep, and he watched her rhythmic breathing. Oh, aye, things were never going to be the same.

* * *

Inuyasha walked through the forest. His hand rested on Tetsusaiga's hilt, he gripped the earthen ground with the balls of his feet, ready to strike. The scent of youkai was strong, very strong, too strong.

He turned his gaze to a tree on his far left, but changed his mind. No, the scent that wafted to him was coming from somewhere else, somewhere closer. His ears twitched, catching the faint sound of leaves rustling. The wind? Maybe. Maybe not.

Sensing the attack, Inuyasha jumped up as the tree behind him shattered. He grabbed the branch directly above him, hanging suspended for only a moment as he drew Tetsusaiga from its sheath. Then he let himself fall to the ground, and immediately prepared for battle.

Yet when he looked forward, he saw only forest.

The blow hit him hard from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground. Spitting out a leaf, he jumped back up to face his opponent.

"Hey, that wasn't fair!" he screamed.

"Your skills are improving. However," Sesshomaru said, sheathing Tokijin. "Your attitude is lacking."

"Whatever," Inuyasha said. He joined his brother as they walked back to the village. "You know, we can't just stay here and wait for Naraku to attack."

"Indeed."

"We should go looking for him."

"Why go looking for danger? Our energy can be saved by waiting. And," he said, walking on. "We will be here in case of an attack. Naraku would not hesitate to destroy the village simply to incite our anger. Anger provokes rash behavior, as you well know," Sesshomaru said, giving his brother a pointed look.

"That may be, but we have to go," Inuyasha said, stopping. Sesshomaru also stopped, but he did not turn.

"Why is that, Inuyasha?"

"Because if we don't leave, we _will_ bring Naraku to this village, whether we want him here or not. These people cannot handle attacks as they have in the past. Once people heard of the jewel and me, they stayed away. Some left. We cannot risk their livelihood by staying."

Sesshomaru nodded, knowing that Inuyasha was right.

"We move out tomorrow," Sesshomaru said, walking away.

* * *

I know, I know, another filler chapter. The next chapter will be way longer, and chock full of information and drama, and I want reviews, so many reviews, that I won't know what to do with them all!!!!!!!!! Until next time, toodles.


	12. My Light, My Flower

This is, I'm gonna bet, the LONGEST chapter in the story. I hope you like it, there is alot of information to absorb in this one, but I want you to have fun while reading it. Sooo much drama. Enjoy!!!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Sometimes, though, I like to pretend I do, but reality is mean to me.**

Chapter Eleven

My Light, My Flower

_The sky was black._

_The ground was black._

_The forest was black._

_All Rin saw was a pinpoint of light, and she followed it. Her heart pounded, and she started to walk faster. Faster. Her throat burned, her eyes burned. Tears choked her, and her body was racked with coughs._

_The light was her lifeline. Her reason for moving and breathing. It guided her._

_Rin ran. She ran so fast, and she felt the black branches of the black trees cut her face and arms as she ran. She heard the distant sound of dogs barking, the distant sound of howling._

_And then one cry split the air. It was so close, so very close. Rin screamed, never stopping, never letting her feet stop moving._

_She had to reach the light. She had to. She knew not what it was, what would happen once she was there, only that she needed to be near it. That she needed to find it._

_The lone howl of the tortured soul reached her again, only louder. Right near her. Next to her. In front of her. Behind her. Its bitter acid bit at her skin as she ran past it. The light. Her light._

_When would she reach it? Was it not closer than this?_

_It was burning brighter now, and she could taste the bitter ashes in her mouth when she reached it._

_It was a flower. A lily. It stood before her, the white petals fresh and clean. The stem was a crisp green, the leaves full and healthy. She looked down at the flower, and even through her disappointment, she admired its beauty._

_She reached out an eager hand to pluck the flower, to hold it in her hand. Yet as she hand reached the flower, wetness hit her hand. She stared down at the crimson drop._

_What was this? She watched as another and another fell to the flower, its rain staining the purity of the lily even as she tried to wipe the blood off with her sleeve. She whimpered. No, no. Her light, it was tainted. Why? Why was this happening to her?_

_She had searched so long for this. She had ran through the black forest under the black sky and had been held back by the black trees and the pain-filled voice . . . only to have her light tainted by blood. Why?_

_She was frantic. She tried to clean the petals, yet only managed to smear the thick elixir over the flower. She felt the tears burning her eyes._

_No. No, this was my light. This was my flower. No._

_No._

_Not hers. Not what was hers._

_Standing, she met the face of the man whose blood stained her flower. Lord Sesshomaru._

_He stood, his armor hung low over his chest. It barely had any means to stay on. His kimono was only half on, and it was covered in blood. She gazed up at him, at his hooded eyes. He didn't see her, she realized. He was looking down at the flower. She searched him over with her eyes and saw no wounds, no cuts or gashes in his body. So why was he covered in blood? Why did it stain his face and hands and leave his beautiful white hair in bloody clumps? Why did his breath seem labored and shallow? Why did tears run in rivulets down his face?_

_A few tears fell upon the lily, and Rin again looked down. The lily was still firm, every hardy, yet was starting to bow beneath the wait of the blood upon it, and soon it would snap at its stem, and the lily would die._

_"Rin," Lord Sesshomaru said, still not looking at her. She gazed up at him. "Rin."_

_"Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, knowing that her lord held all of the answers, knowing that he would make it all right._

_"I failed you," he said, and then she felt a searing in her stomach the likes of which she had never felt. The pain radiated up her chest and into her arms, and she fell, fell into a void of existence, where there was only pain, only suffering._

_She caught one last look of her lord, and she reached up from the void, begging him to take her hand and pull her up. Yet all he saw was the flower, the blood-stained flower that had caused her so much grief. This flower . . . ._

Rin woke with a start. The cry in her throat caught and died, but not before a whimper escaped that almost woke Jaken, who was sleeping nearby. She reached up to her throat, and felt the sick, cold wetness of perspiration against her skin. Rin reached a hand up to her face and found the cool remains of tears. She gasped in, drawing in breath even as her heart slowed it rapid pace.

She stood and gazed out the window, up to the full moon. She wanted only to melt back into her slumber, but she was afraid. Afraid of what, she knew not. Yet it was there, the fear, licking just beneath the surface. The fear for her lord. The fear for herself.

She watched the moon as it sent its rays down to the earth, bathing her in blue and catching the highlights in her hair. Her black eyes held the light of the moon in her eyes, shining bright with unshed tears. Her lips trembled against the bite of cold air that came through the window. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, holding the warmth around her body.

Her youthful face was pulled into a frown against the horrible thoughts racing through her mind. Her usually joyful countenance was diminished by her sadness. However, her saddened expression did nothing to quell the beauty, which was easily seen beneath the mask she wore.

Rin watched a shooting star pass by, and she waited until it burned away. Did she believe in wishes anymore? She had once wished to be with her lord forever, yet that could never be. He would live on for centuries, while she would expire in only a few short years. Her life compared to his was pitiful, and she knew that age would overcome her. Soon, she would no longer be able to keep up on the long walks. She would rely more and more on Ah-Un, and she couldn't bare that. She would wither, like the petals of a rose, and she would die. It was her destiny.

The rustling behind her drew her out of her musings. She turned slowly, and found Lord Sesshomaru at the entrance to the small hut. He glanced down at the sleeping Jaken for only a brief moment before motioning for her to follow him. Rin went, treading lightly upon the ground as she followed him out into the forest.

They soon came to the same clearing as the other night. She glanced around, noticing the same fallen tree in the middle, the same cluster of trees holding sakura blossoms, the same patch of flowers. She moved through the tall weeds, never once falling out of step while following her lord.

When he stopped, it was only to stand looking away from her. The moonlight caressed his hair, glinting of off the armor, and bringing out the white of his kimono.

"I will be leaving tomorrow with my brother. We will hunt down Naraku." Simple. Direct. Lord Sesshomaru was never one to waste words.

"I will be ready come morning," she said immediately, and turned to go.

"You are to remain here in the village." He turned slightly, so she was just in his line of sight.

"What?" Rin breathed, turning back to him. Her heart found a steady, rapid beat and her words almost caught in her throat. "I am not to accompany my lord on this endeavor?"

"No, Rin."

She held back tears and boldly continued. "Why?"

This time, he did turn to her fully. "This Sesshomaru will not explain himself."

"Damn it," she yelled in an uncharacteristic display of anger. "You _will_ explain yourself. I've been through enough these last weeks to be left here for no reason."

His steely mask grew cold. His golden eyes turned to brass.

"How dare you?" he said stalking closer to her. "Have I not cared for you, saved your life countless times, ensured your safety?" He grabbed her kimono and pulled her close. "I could have left you at any moment."

"Why didn't you?" she gasped, her hands grabbing at his hoari. His words tore though her, and she wanted nothing more than to break down and cry. Twelve years. She had been his ward for twelve years, and being separated from him would have surely killed her, left her barren and mute as she had been once before.

She met his anger, gave as best as she got. Rin was not going to allow him to push her around, not this way. She was not going to let him walk away without an explanation.

"You have no right to ask me this," he said, pushing her away. She caught herself before falling to the ground, and she stepped in front of him before he could walk away.

"I have every right. You are making decisions for me. I don't want to stay here at the village. I want to go with you." Rin did all she could to hold back the tears behind her eyes. They glistened like diamonds in the moonlight.

Sesshomaru reached out his hand, and his clawed fingers found the nape of her neck and tightened almost painfully in her hair. He pulled her close, so that their bodies touched. Rin closed her eyes, the closeness bringing her to heights that she hadn't known existed. She craned her graceful throat, hoping to relieve some of the pressure on her scalp.

He growled deep in his throat, so that only she may hear. Rin grabbed hold of his kimono, because if he let go, she would surely fall.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?" His voice was hoarse and grainy. She opened her eyes once more.

"Why did you watch me fight the demon, yet you never came to my aid? I called for you, and yet . . . ."

"You want to know why, Rin?" he asked, his golden gaze burning into her. "You really want to know?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"I watched, Rin, because," he leaned down to her ear. "I wanted him to kill you."

* * *

Naraku lay on the raised futon in the middle of the room. His head lay back on a pillow.

He had been laying here since that day, slowly building his strength. Slowly plotting his vengeance. Reaching back a hand, he felt the scar on his back. Onigumo. That pest's soul was still in him, his heart still beating in his chest. Damn him.

Kagura watched as his face contorted in anger. He had split the demon apart as soon as they were back at his castle. She pressed and hand to her chest. He had let her keep her heart, yet it was more likely that he had forgotten.

"Kagura," Naraku said, turning his head to face her. "Where are Inuyasha and Sesshomaru?"

"Kanna has told me that they are preparing to leave the village. Probably to seek us out."

"Yes," he said, laughing bitterly. "Tell me, what vessel do you think I should use to destroy Sesshomaru?"

"I couldn't say." But she knew. They both knew.

"The girl, the one that released me," he whispered. Lifting himself up, he wrapped his waist in the blanket and walked to Kagura.

"Bring Kanna to me," he said. She nodded and turned away, but not before he said, "And Kagura, if you defy me, I will take back your heart. You know how easy it would be to snatch it from your chest."

"I know," she said. "Someday, Naraku, I will gain back my freedom." Though she lived by the philosophy of never showing weakness to your enemy, a sheen of tears developed on the edges of her eyes.

"Do this for me, Kagura. Lure the girl to the place where I will kill her, and you will have your freedom. You should not be hard to replace." He smirked at her flinch, yet she nodded and walked on.

Naraku limped over to the balcony. The castle, now perched on a steep cliff, overlooked the stone valley below. This place suited him, he thought. Combined with the evil demon within him, and the black heart of Onigumo, this barren land resembled him.

Naraku reached down to the spot on his stomach, just by his hip-bone, where another, smaller scar lay. Also in the shape of a spider, this scar was different. Where the spider on his back was left by Onigumo, this scar was evidence of the largest demon within him, Fudo, who controlled the others. Naraku frowned. So many voices filled his head. Fudo's came loudest.

_Kill the girl. Kill the girl, and Sesshomaru will fall easily._

Yet, others . . . .

_Nay, the girl has done nothing. Killing unnecessarily will only bring about their wrath. Naraku, listen to us, we know. Years of solitude have made us regret our wrongful choices._

Naraku smiled. No, Fudo was right. The girl was Sesshomaru's weakness. The girl had to die.

* * *

Inuyasha slowly slipped through the door. Ever so slowly. He didn't want to wake Kagome. Not just yet.

He, Sesshomaru, and Miroku were to leave tomorrow. He honestly didn't know how long they were to be gone, maybe a week, maybe a month. However long it took them to find Naraku and kill him once and for all. Now that Sesshomaru held Souunga's reigns, they didn't have to worry about his untimely resurrection anymore.

He could see her in the moonlight. She was on her side, her small hand tucked under her chin. She honestly hadn't changed much since the day they had met, except that she had a few new wrinkles around her eyes, and she looked a bit tired.

He didn't know how he felt about her. She was a mystery to him, as fresh as always. She was smart, and funny, and had grown stronger in the years he had known her. Her archery was undeniably the best. Her miko powers had far surpassed Kikyo's.

He was about to sit when he noticed the lump by Kagome's legs. Shippo. Though he thought the kitsune a bit old to be sleeping by his adopted mother's side, the two had a strong bond, so Inuyasha usually let it go. Yet tonight, he needed to see Kagome himself, without interruption from the fox demon.

Gently, so as to not wake the child, Inuyasha slipped his hands under him and lifted, taking the boy out into the village. The next closest hut was where Rin was staying.

Inuyasha walked into the hut, and though Rin wasn't there, Jaken was sleeping in a corner. He found a blanket and placed Shippo on it, and then went back to Kagome.

He had barely walked in.

"Why did you take Shippo away?" Kagome asked, her voice husky from sleep. She sat up, her pajamas floating loosely around her as she rubbed at her eyes.

"I wanted to talk to you, and, well, you know the brat."

"Inuyasha," she said in warning. No one called her boy a brat.

"Feh," he said, folding his hands across his chest. "He would interfere."

"So, what is it? I'm really sleepy." She stood and leaned against the wall opposite him.

"Sesshomaru, Miroku, and I are heading out in the morning."

"Well, be back from your training before dinner, because we won't wait for you like we did . . . ."

"Not training, Kagome. We're heading out. After Naraku."

"Oh." She looked hurt, like a child that hadn't been invited. She pouted a little, as she had often done when she was younger. She lifted a leg and flattened her foot against the wall, and then began to twist her hair.

"When will you be back?" she asked, her eyes hurt.

"Don't know. Could be weeks or . . . well, you know." He walked toward her.

"Inuyasha, I . . . .," she paused. "I want to go with you." His eyes widened, even though he knew that he shouldn't be surprised.

"You can't, and I won't ask it of you. Now that he's back, he's twice as pissed, and he'll want the jewel."

"Do _you_ want the jewel, Inuyasha?" she asked, grasping the necklace around her neck. The jewel which had ruined their lives. This jewel that had hurt them.

He sighed. "What do you think, Kagome? Do you trust me?" He walked ever closer.

"I trust you . . . with my life," she said, and he stretched his arms out, planting his hands on either side of her head.

"Yeah, so why do I still have these beads?" he asked, growling a little.

"Because, how else am I going to keep you in line when you get stupid?" she said, smirking just a bit.

"Oh, yeah," he said, leaning in. He was so close . . . so close . . .

"Oh, yeah," Kagome, said, her hands finding a place on his hoari. She watched him, her heart in her eyes. Her breathing became shallow, and her head was spinning from his proximity. If only . . . .

_"Hey!"_ Shippo screamed from the door. "Why did you move me, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha growled in his throat, and the kitsune immediately quieted.

However . . . .

"I'm going with you and the others." Kagome folded her arms over her chest, hoping that he couldn't sense her erratic heartbeat.

He only nodded before disappearing, leaving her and Shippo to look at each other dumbly.

* * *

The sound of hand against flesh echoed through the forest. The sound, the simple crack, was almost deafening in its anger, its intensity. The passion the flowed into it was so primal, instinctive, that mere thought was not relevant to its occurrence.

Rin gasped, her hand covering her mouth. _Had she really just done that?_ Had she really slapped her Lord across the face? Her eyes brimmed with tears, again, and she couldn't even say her apologies through her shock.

His face was turned to the side, the harsh red mark plain across his countenance. He hadn't said a word, not a simple utterance of acknowledgement.

She could only stare at him, watch as the red filled his eyes, and his expression became wild. She could only watch as the youki within him took over, and for the first time, she was truly afraid of her lord. He could kill her, and rightfully so, for what she had done to him.

Rin slowly lowered her hand from her face. "Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, her voice shaky. She watched only as long as she could bear.

She ran. Rin turned on her heals, and though the rocks and leaves scraped at her bare feet, she ran as fast as she could. He was terrifying when he was like this, and she had only seen it first hand a few times.

_Her_ Lord Sesshomaru. How had this happened? How had she allowed it?

She stopped near the hot springs, knowing that if she went any further she would become lost. Her heart beat frantically in her breast, her breath was gasping in.

One clawed hand found her shoulders. She gasped, wanting to turn, wanting to see his eyes and if they had returned to normal. Yet he held her fast, his breath growling softly with each inhalation. His hand tightened marginally.

"Do you not know that you can't run from me, Rin?" he growled at her ear, and it sent shivers down her spine.

"Don't do this, please," she whispered, knowing that death was coming for her. She had raised a hand to her lord, and for that she deserved death. She wanted to scream, to fight against him, yet she knew it was useless. He would overpower her, and then her punishment would become savage.

"Don't do what? This?" he asked, pulling the cloth from her shoulder. She felt the hot sting of his breath on her flesh, and she shivered in the night air. Sesshomaru brushed his lips gently over the joint of her neck and shoulder, causing Rin to gasp gently at the new sensation. Then he bit down on her neck, breaking the skin and drawing blood. Rin cried out, reaching forward to steady herself against a tree. Pain tore through her body, her neck throbbed.

Was this her punishment? Would he not kill her, only painfully teach her a lesson? She could feel the warmth of her blood stain her kimono, and run down her back.

Finally, with a concluding stroke of his tongue, he retracted his fangs from her neck.

"You're _mine_," he said, his voice thick and very possessive. If she had known better, she would have thought that he had asked a question of himself, of why he had marked her as his own. He turned her to face him, and before she could even speak, he answered her question. "You are now my mate."

"What?" she whispered, her eyes wide and teary.

"Do you not want this Sesshomaru for your mate?" She felt him pull her closer, as though to warn her against denying him.

"I do," she said, looking up at his eyes, which had returned to their normal golden state. "You are the one who never wanted a human mate. I am only human."

"_You_ are _my_ mate. No one would dare harm you without bringing my wrath upon them," he said in an uncharacteristic show of emotion, and just like that, she saw the steel trap of his emotions closed, and his face became that of ice again. "I will leave in the morning. You will remain here, where it is safe."

* * *

Ohhhhhh, what do you think? Input people, thoughts, opinions, feelings . . . all are useful to the creative mind. I would like some reviews here!!!


	13. Midnight Interlude

Wow, I got five reviews for the last chapter!!! Sooo, I think I'm going to need at least five, maybe seven, reviews for this one in order to post the next chapter (I know, I'm so mean). To those who reviewed, thanks, you will all get a shout-out at the end of the story! Okay, here we go!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.**

**WARNING: This chapter contains adult content. Please do not read if you are sensitive to the subject matter. Please use your best judgement when deciding to continue with this chapter. This chapter does not contain information relavent to the rest of the story, nor will any dialogue or questions be answered during the duration of the story. It will not hinder your understanding of the story to simply skip this chapter. Thank You.

* * *

**

Chapter Twelve

Midnight Interlude

Though it pained her, though it hurt her, she nodded, and fell into step behind him as he led her closer to the hot spring. She looked down. The front of her kimono had blood on it, and she needed to clean it before returning to the village, since she knew that Inuyasha would smell it.

Dimly in her mind did it register that she was now his mate. She knew that the moment she began to believe this had happened; she would awaken from this dream. He had marked her as his, and for that, no one would harm her without bringing down his full wrath upon them.

The billowing steam from the spring soon enveloped her, and she could barely see her lord in front of her. This had been where he had kissed her, she thought. This is where everything had changed. She hadn't been able to look him in the eye, too afraid that it had only been out of kindness or pity.

Yet now, he stopped and turned to her, his face almost angry. Why?

"Rin," he said, waiting until she stood before him.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered, not knowing what he was going to say to her.

He tipped her chin up, so that he could see her face.

"If you do not want this," he said, touching the painful wound on her neck. "I can take it away."

She looked up at him, not knowing what to say. This was a dream to her, yet she could not tell if he truly wanted her. He had hated humans for so long; she could not tell if he could truly change.

Her eyes wandered to his hair, the stripes on his cheeks, the glory of his golden eyes. She wanted him, with all of her heart. She wanted to be his mate, his partner, and his friend.

Reaching up, she pressed her lips to his, and he pulled away only for a moment before returning her kiss. Rin lifted her hands to his thick hair, running her fingers through its mass. His hand fisted at the fabric of her kimono, just below the base of her throat, as though holding her upright.

The steam swirled around them, the gentle heat warming them in the cold night air. The autumn moon's rays fell upon them, lighting their forms so they could see each other.

Pulling away, Sesshomaru gazed down at this woman before him. She was beautiful, with a soul that any man would crave to make his own. Her heart was pure, eager to show the love that was hidden deep within. Even after these events, even with the hatred that she held, she was still untainted, pure in a way that he could never be.

Leaning down once more, he captured her mouth with his, only this time, he took it a step further. He deepened the kiss, tasting every corner of her mouth. She gasped at this new intimacy, holding him a bit tighter as she met his ardor. And then he left her lips, finding places along her jaw and neck that sent her spiraling.

She moaned, her hands clutching his hair as he eased her down to the ground. With them both on their knees, he growled loudly when he came back to the mark he had left on her. Rin moved her hands from his hair to his shoulders, and then lower to his chest. She pushed gently, bringing him back to her. She watched his eyes, the golden orbs slowly alternating back and forth to their red, demonic state.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she said, pushing the hair off of his face and back behind his ears. "Why would you mate with me?"

He did not answer, however he slowly brought the demon youki inside of him back, slowly bringing himself under control. The demon raged, wanting to take her because she was rightfully his, yet he could not, would not take her that way, not in blood and pain.

With his arm, he pulled her close against him, and his body reacted to her closeness. She reached out, her arms finding their way around his waist, holding firmly.

"I do not want you to leave me," she said, gazing up. "I never liked it, I was always afraid that you would never come back."

"I always did, though," he said, slowly undoing the obi around her waist, and he slowly parted the sides of her kimono. "I could never bring myself to be apart from you for too long."

Tears brimmed her almond eyes. "I never . . . knew how you felt. You never told me."

"I've never told anyone," he said, his voice thick. "Feelings—love, hatred, happiness—they are for the weak. Only those who do not possess power possess these feelings. I want power."

"I know," Rin whispered. "Yet there is something you don't know. Someday, you will figure it out, because I cannot tell you."

He nodded, and with a final stroke of his hand, pulled the kimono from her body. His eyes were riveted to the curves and lines, to the valleys and hills that made her so beautiful. His hand found her secrets, the places that had her throwing back her head and moaning.

He attacked the exposed line of her throat, his lips and tongue teasing her flesh. His hand cupped her breast, feeling the soft flesh mold itself to him and the hard peak press into his palm.

The sounds she was making were intoxicating. He wanted to keep her pleased, and he wanted her to cry out his name.

He hooked his arm around her shoulders and set her down on the warm ground, her arms wrapped around his neck the entire time. She was scared, he could smell it one her, yet he knew that she would not fight him, would not deny him that which he would ask of her.

Leaning back, he began to undo his obi, yet . . . .

"Rin," he said, and she knew instinctively what he needed. She reached up, helping him disrobe, and she could see it in his eyes. Having only one arm was difficult for him, and often he felt the burden of this. He ignored it, of course, never letting anyone see the weakness that lay plain for all to see.

Sesshomaru kept his gaze away as she parted the folds of his kimono, and each layer beneath, until he was as exposed as she was.

Her eyes wandered over his body, and she blushed. She had never seen a naked man before, but her lord was most definitely the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

The pale lines of his skin were highlighted in the moonlight, the graceful ridges of his chest and stomach tempted her to touch. She gazed at his powerful shoulders, his lean muscles that dusted over his neck, and his angelically pointed ears. She felt the urge to reach up and touch them, to play with the edge of his ear and scratch behind it.

His countenance was hard, unwaveringly harsh, even in the midst of this passion. He never revealed himself; never let others see what was hidden behind his mask. Rin reached out, her fingers dancing over his jaw and cheek.

Sesshomaru clenched his teeth, savoring silently the feel of her fingers over his skin. Her innocent touch intoxicated him, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her beneath him and take her as his own.

Rin moved her fingers down his throat and over his chest and shoulders. She felt the thunder of his growl deep in his chest, and she saw where her hand was—over his left arm.

She continued her exploration of his missing arm, and his eyes watched down at her furiously. She could almost see his thoughts; see the anger that swirled in his mind as he remembered the encounter with Inuyasha that had led to this handicap.

"Rin," he said only moments before she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his shoulder. He inhaled sharply, surprised. Her tender lips grazed over the arm, down to the joint where the arm had been severed, and over it. Her tears fell upon him, the droplets both healing and baptizing him, leaving him free and filling his chest with something heavy. The act that she had bestowed on him was so strong, so faithful, that he reached up and grasped a handful of her hair and pulled her back to him, his mouth taking hers in a kiss so passionate that Rin cried out against him.

His tongue invaded her, held her captive. Rin drew her arms around his neck, her fingers sinking into the hair at the nape of his neck. He then angled her down, his arm around the small of her back as he took the peak of her breast into his mouth. He pulled hard on the bud, wringing a moan from her as he switched to the other, giving it equal attention.

Never in all her life did Rin imagine that this kind of pleasure existed between a man and a woman. She bit her lip, and felt as light as a feather as he laid her back onto the ground, and he followed her, holding himself up by his arm. Rin watched his eyes as he settled himself between her legs, his lean hips fitting her as though they were meant to be together. Then he began to ease himself into her sheath.

Pain stabbed through her as her body desperately tried to adjust to his size. Tears seeped out from the corners of her eyes, catching the moonlight and shining like diamonds around her temples. She felt as though she was being torn in two, and sweat beaded on her forehead from the exertion. Her hands found his shoulder blades, and her nails raked a dull path down his back as her pain slowly lessened and turn into something more. Something that she couldn't comprehend.

She gasped as the thrust of his hips began to quicken, the feel of him inside of her was astonishing. The rhythm took over, their bodies straining together to find a common goal. She watched him, his ragged breathing, the tension of his shoulders, the way his forelocks fell around his face. His hair floated around them, the white mass like a haunting ghost and her own black locks like the gates of the afterlife as they melded, becoming one.

Soon, his breathing changed from not only being rapid, but also irregular, as though he couldn't quite catch it. She followed suit, her torso thrusting up to meet the demand of his. She was soon filled with a dark warmth, and it spread through her body only moments before she cried out, and her scream reverberated through the forest.

She screamed his name, and the bursts of ecstasy filled her, and raged on and on until she could barely breathe. Her headlong dash into the unknown was guided by him as he whispered his approval with his body, angling himself as he hit her special spot over and over, that one place that had sent her careening in the first place, and then he allowed himself the same release.

Then they collapsed to the ground, their bodies spent. He gently pulled away from her, wary of the innocence of her body and the pain that she had gone through. Laying himself down, he pulled her to his side, and when he heard her gentle, rhythmic breathing, he knew that she, his angel, had just become more of a weakness for him than he should have allowed.

* * *

I did not want to make this very explicit. I like it this way, actually, and my proofreader (aka, my mom) did not even want this chapter in here, but I felt that they deserved this after all they had been through (wink, wink). Okay, as always, please review! 


	14. Come Back To Me

Okay, I cave. I really got anxious to post more, so here's chapter thirteen. This one really moves forward with the story. I hope you like it! Please review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Only the love in my heart (sigh).

* * *

**

Chapter Thirteen

Come Back For Me

Rin awoke the next morning to find that Lord Sesshomaru had moved her back to her hut soon after she had fallen asleep in his arms. It all seemed like a cruel dream, all of it. Had they really made love? Had he really held her tenderly as slumber had overtaken her body?

She was now his mate. If she had looked in a mirror, she would have seen the magenta slash on the place where his teeth had been, the wound replaced with the mark of the Lord of the Western Lands.

Her heart broke slowly. This only made it worse. He was going to leave her, to cast off with Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kagome, and she knew not when he was to return. He could be gone for weeks or months. Years. She hated being away from him. Hated not knowing if he was alive, if he was dead.

She sat up slowly and surveyed the room. Jaken sat against the wall, his small arms crossed around his staff.

"Master Jaken?" she said, watching as he opened his eyes and focused on her.

"So, you're awake," he said, standing up. "Once again, you have succeeded in ruining my life!" he squawked dramatically, waving the staff at her. "Lord Sesshomaru has ordered me to stay here and make sure nothing happens to you. Stupid girl, why can't you take care of yourself?"

"Has he left yet?" she yelled, grabbing him by his tiny shoulders. "Have they left?"

"No," he said. "However, they are probably setting out already; after all, it is late in the day, and . . . . Ahhh," he finished lamely as she jumped up and left him by himself.

Rin ran outside, her loose kimono flying around her, her bare feet scraping against the ground. Her hair was unruly, and had the effect of hands that had run through it.

She glanced around desperately, trying to see a hint of Lord Sesshomaru's white hoari, or the red of Inuyasha's kimono, or the blue of Kagome's jeans. Rin saw them finally, in the path of the forest away from the village.

She ran; the only thing keeping her going was pure adrenaline.

Ah-Un knew she was coming, could smell her, and he stopped and gazed back. Sesshomaru, who held the two-headed dragon's reigns, pulled angrily at them, however the dragon was not going to leave without seeing his mistress once more, not when she was so close.

_"Wait!"_ Rin screamed. He legs almost buckled. It was so far. So very far to reach him. She could not let him leave her. Not yet, not when there was so much for her to say, so much for her to do. She wanted to scream at him, in anger—in love. Whichever fashion seemed to befall her when she reached him. She wanted to look up at his face, to see his hard countenance once more before he was gone.

Sesshomaru stopped, yet did not turn, his stance clearly tense. The others turned to watch as she ran as fast as she could. The sun peaking through the trees blinded her, and she squinted as tears streamed down her face. _"Wait!"_ she screamed again.

Finally, Sesshomaru turned to her, and his face held the evidence of the demon in him. His eyes were crimson, claws were jagged. His hair flew around him. He was obviously trying to scare her away, yet that didn't matter. All that mattered was him, getting to him.

As she closed the distance, she jumped, and he caught her effortlessly as her arms went around him. She kissed him, pulling him as close as she could.

Sesshomaru responded, and he found himself holding her close as passion took over. Her hands fisted in his hair as his hand clutched at the back of her kimono. He bit at her mouth, knowing that he would not be able to hold her at night, or train with her in the day. He would not be able to look over and see her at every turn.

When they finally parted, she looked right up into his eyes.

"Come back to me," she said, her hands sliding from his hair to his face. "Don't forget to come back for me." As she whispered the words, she was reminded of when she was younger, when her faith in him was so strong, but she had wanted to make sure that he kept his promise.

He nodded once, and then turned back. Rin walked to Ah-Un and whispered her farewell to him before Sesshomaru took up his reign's and walked on, leaving Rin behind.

Inuyasha and Miroku found themselves with their jaws hanging open, mouths agape at the scene that had just transpired. As much as they were overcome with confusion, Kagome was jumping up and down in joy, lightly clapping her hands together.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it," she whispered when Inuyasha turned to her.

"Feh," he only grunted as they turned and continued their journey.

* * *

Kagome finally called time to rest after walking all day. She knew that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru could have walked all through the night without any second thoughts, but she and Miroku were exhausted.

Inuyasha made the fire, and then Kagome made dinner, which consisted of ramen and other junk foods. Miroku gathered more firewood, and Sesshomaru cleaned and sharpened both he and Inuyasha's weapons.

When the others were sleeping, Inuyasha went over to Sesshomaru, who had perched himself against a tree. He watched his older brother warily. They had never been on good terms, though their rivalry seemed trivial for the most part. Inuyasha sighed. All he knew was that Sesshomaru despised him for being the half-demon bastard son of his father, and that he had been given Tetsusaiga as his birth-right. And there was not much he could do to change that.

Sitting down next to him, Inuyasha drew up his knees and rested his arms there.

"Thinking about her, huh?" he asked, glancing over at Sesshomaru.

"It is none of your concern," the older demon responded, gritting his teeth at his brothers presumptuousness. He turned away, facing the full moon.

"Yeah, but I know more about it than you think." Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, who was sleeping comfortably by the fire. "I hate having to leave her. The thought of it turns my stomach to rot. And in the end, no matter how much I want to protect her, my need to have her close overwhelms everything else."

Sesshomaru nodded, knowing that unless he showed some acknowledgement of his brother's statements he would continue to talk despite everything. The fire crackled and popped, and the amber glow that surrounded them only added to the mystery of the night. Crickets sounded in the forest, yet only he and Inuyasha were awake to hear it.

"Sesshomaru, we should go back and collect your mate," Inuyasha said, standing to take his place beside Kagome. "As much as I hate to admit it, we're going to need your strength for this fight, and you are no good to us if all you can think about is getting back to her."

"We will keep going."

"Haven't you figured it out yet? You are no good without her. You have no one to protect, and your abilities are based on that. You've only been stronger since you've had Rin with you."

"She is safer at the village."

"Yeah, with only Sango, Kaede, and Jaken to protect her. Come on. You and I both know that she's safer with the two of us than with those three."

"Damn you," Sesshomaru said, standing. "This is none of your concern. I will not endanger her. I will not place her on the battle field."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked. "It's not like she's never seen one. And," he added. "You trained her. She can fight as well as any of us."

Yet Sesshomaru did not answer. He only took his place against the tree, again, and ignored his brother, who soon fell asleep.

* * *

Time Break (Two Weeks)

* * *

It had been two weeks since he had left her. Fourteen days. Three hundred and thirty six hours, countless minutes, and seemingly endless seconds. Rin waited for her mate to come back for her, to take her in his arms and tell her that he would never leave her again.

Her depression grew with each passing day. She helped Kaede gather herbs, and helped the village woman gather water and prepare food, and she trained in the evenings. Each time she walked to the place where she and Lord Sesshomaru had fought, her heart broke a little, yet each time she would draw her sword and battle her loneliness.

Jaken, of course, spent his days moping. He would pick at her, trying to start fights to overcome his boredom, yet she was not willing to oblige him. Her only comfort was the mark on her neck, the beautiful blemish on her skin that signaled her as his mate. It was a promise, _his_ promise that he would come back to her.

So as this day passed, she watched the edge of the forest where he had left, sighing gently to herself. The wind carried away her breath, the soft murmur lost on its current. Rin reached back so that she could braid her hair, her capable fingers weaving the tresses into a more manageable fashion so that the wind could not toss it into her eyes. When she was done, she tied it back with a ribbon, and then she turned her gaze back to the trees.

Larks sang in the distance, and the Bone Eaters Well was nearby. She briefly thought of going to the hot springs, yet it was so early in the day that anyone could walk upon her there.

"Come back to me, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered, and a single tear slipped from her eye. Her heart broke in her chest. She could not bear to be away from him.

She was human, and as Jaken had once told her, time was everything to a human. She might live longer, now that she was his mate, but she would not live as long as he. Nor could she ever. The time that she wanted from him would be precious, treasured like the Shikon Jewel that everyone craved.

Shivers ran down her body. A demon was close by, and she could sense it. Drawing her sword, Rin surveyed the surrounding forest, waiting for any sign that the demon intended to hurt her. Although, she thought to herself, she feared humans more than demons. Demons, upon attacking, have reasons, motives. Even Naraku had his reasons, however petty. Humans killed for sport, or worse, for money.

She fell back just as the blast came upon her. Ducking to the side, she watched as Kagura's Dance of Blades came down.

"Clever girl. You picked up on my presence quickly, for a human," she said, and then she paused. "What is that?" she asked, glancing at Rin's neck.

Rin only watched as her face turned from being merely amused to being terrified.

* * *

"Naraku, I won't do it," Kagura said, running back into the forest. "She bares his mark."

"That will make my victory all the sweeter. I will kill his mate, and with that, I will crush him." Naraku's voice filled her head, and she flinched at the hatred that she heard.

"You do that, Naraku, but my name stays out of this. With my new-found freedom, the last thing I need is for Sesshomaru to hunt me down and try to kill me."

_"Just do as I command, Kagura. My will is infallible."_ He never raised his voice, never let a hint of irritation enter his voice, but she heard it none-the-less. Kagura ran to the designated spot, and although the thought of running from an enemy tasted bitter, she did as she was commanded. For her freedom.

* * *

Rin angled her body so her speed would increase. She refused to let the other woman escape her, because if Kagura was here, Naraku would most likely be close by.

Because this was a trap. She knew it. And she went anyway.

She held her Ni-Kiba before her, neatly slicing away a branch that blocked her way, because it would be more trouble to duck and lose her speed.

The other woman was scared, and she knew it. Rin smirked, and she would remember to thank her Lord for making her his mate, because she knew that that was why the demon was so scared of her.

The clearing was close, so close, and Rin ran faster, her legs pumped harder, and her blood hummed in anticipation of the coming battle. The wind was cold, and the bite of it stung her cheeks and lips. The overcast sky held the world in shadows, and she thanked whichever god was listening for it. If the sun had been shining, she would have been at a disadvantage with her weak human eyes.

The forest was silent, the unrelenting aura of the coming battle hanging heavy in the air. Rin's lungs burned, her body tense.

In the thicket ahead Rin clearly saw the seemingly thin, purple glow of Naraku's barrier, and she paused, catching her breath as she gazed at the blockade. Her enemy was just beyond this barrier, and she wanted through.

She reached out a hand, and felt at the layer of it. It held firm under her touch, but then it gave way, and she rushed through, afraid that it would close behind her.

Once inside, the barrier could not be seen. However, she knew it was still there. It was not a large barrier, standing at about as tall as the trees and the length of the clearing. As though to hold her in a confined place, to make sure that she felt the limitations, to make sure that she knew who was in charge of this.

She turned slowly, sensing that the enemy was close. Then the pain came.

The demon swiped her with its claws, the massive hand swallowing her body and shoving her to the ground. Blood stained her left arm, which had taken the brunt of the attack, and she cradled it to her body as she looked up.

It was the same demon as before, the same demon that had possessed her body and ordered her to kill those people. The memories flooded her, and for a moment she was panicked by the thought of being possessed again, of having her free will taken away by a monster.

"Foolish girl," the monster said, though it was in a voice that she did not recognize. "You fell into the trap, just like the stupid human you are. And now I will have your head."

Rin glanced up, and she clenched her teeth at the white baboon pelt that she saw clearly on the shoulder of the beast. "Naraku!" she screamed, her sword aimed at him. "Face me like a real man, not some coward who has to send his minions to defeat his enemies."

"Big talk for such a little girl. And you still are, the same little girl who followed around that dog, that same little girl who I tried to kill time and again, and _he_ would always come to your rescue. Not anymore," Naraku said.

"Never again," she whispered, and lunged up, bringing down her sword in a large arc, and the demon reached out to grab her. She kicked out, her foot finding the side of his fingers and trusting herself up again, this time aiming for Naraku as one of the beast's fingers fell to the earth.

It screamed, and propelled both Naraku and Rin off of its body.

Rin landed painfully on her back, and she gasped for breath as her human body become cumbersome in her battle. Naraku landed effortlessly on the ground a few feet from her.

"Weak," he said with a laugh. "Weak human."

"Human, yes. Weak . . . never," she said, and she buried the tip of Ni-Kiba into the soft earth as she hoisted herself up. "Never."

* * *

Okay, this is leading up to the big fight scene. I find myself having a hard time writing fight scenes, but hopefully it is conveyed the way I wanted it to. As always, please review!!!


	15. Heart Full Of Vengeance

Hey, hey there!!! Wow, only two more chapters (not including this one, and not including the epilogue). I hope you enjoy, and please, keep reviewing!!! Luv ya'll.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Hmmm . . . . Maybe someday . . . . Yeah, only in my dreams.

* * *

**

Chapter Fourteen

Heart Full of Vengeance

His mind wandered back to that night more than he should have allowed.

Sesshomaru, ever the leader, had grudgingly opted to take the rear in the line of rag-tag travelers that consisted of his half-brother, the miko, and the monk.

_Rin_, he thought. What a foolish thing he had done. He should never have taken her for his mate. Sesshomaru berated himself every day for such a feat, yet he had claimed her.

Daily he insisted to himself that he had marked her for her own protection. Without his magenta signature on her skin, other demons, upon scenting him on her, would have attacked, even knowing that such a thing would bring down his wrath on them. With his mark, they were bound by honor to pass by, to leave her be. Any demon that did not hold such honor was clearly a low-level, and would easily fall to Rin's own hands.

Yet, as many hours as he spent convincing himself that he was only fulfilling his duty as her guardian, he could not help but wonder at his actions that night. It should have been easy enough to walk away after laying his fangs into her flesh; it should have been finished with that final stroke of his tongue on her neck. It had not ended, however. He had taken not only her being, the part of her that she would someday have pledged to a human husband. He had taken her body as a husband. Why it happened, he could never really be sure. All he knew was that the night had been filled with uncertainties. And Sesshomaru hated uncertainties. He hated the unknown. What was known could be controlled, bent to his will by force and the power that he had worked so long and so hard to gain.

This . . . . No.

This could not have been controlled, could not have been laid to rest by a flick of the wrist and a command. This had been set into motion since she had come into womanhood, and he, Lord Sesshomaru, Daiyoukai of the Western Lands, had been unable to prevent it.

* * *

Inuyasha led the way to the village, his eyes scanning the countryside. Something was off. He could feel it. Something wasn't quite right.

They had traveled two weeks, and in that time, they had scouted the surrounding forests and villages, searching for any sign of Naraku, yet . . . nothing. It was as though the bastard had just vanished. And Inuyasha knew that when Naraku vanished, it was because he was planning something big, something devastating.

* * *

Lady Kaede met them at the edge of the forest, worry evident in her one brown eye as she awaited them. A very worried looking Jaken stood by her side.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" the green imp squawked, and then he bowed his head, and Sesshomaru got the clear impression that he knew something. Something that would soon have to be beaten out of him.

"Jaken," he said, the whip-like ice of his voice cutting through the air.

"Y . . . Ye . . . Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" He was trembling with fear, and the smell of it permeated the breeze, sending the imp's acrid scent to his sensitive nose.

"What has happened?" he said, his gaze wandering from Jaken to the old woman.

It was Kaede that answered. "We are unable to find Rin. She was there—," she said, pointing a withered finger to the fields. "—and now she is gone. The men and women of the village have searched, but with no avail."

The rage that built in him was cold, slow. He wanted to not only kill Jaken—for he was to be her protector in his absence—but also the old woman, and Inuyasha and his followers. Sesshomaru wanted to kill any who had come into contact with her, and yet had been unable to watch her, to protect her from herself. Even in adulthood, she was mischievous, troublesome, and that had not changed even after her possession.

He glanced back at his brother, who was scenting the air in an obvious fashion. Sesshomaru did so also, hoping to catch a glimmer of Rin's scent of wildflowers mixed with water, yet he only caught one odor, and it invaded his sensitive nostrils viciously.

Without saying a word, or indicating that he had heard what Kaede had said, he sped off into the forest, only mildly surprised to find Inuyasha, along with Kagome spanning his back, following close behind.

And then they saw the purple barrier . . . .

* * *

Claws tore at her back. Rin's blood spilled to the ground, and she gasped with every breath she took. The demon was relentless, its fury unbounded. It was all she could do to keep standing, and yet when she heard the cold mockery of Naraku's laugh, the evil revelry at her expense, she felt the blood in her veins boil. And each time she heard that laugh, she had the strength to cut out a piece of the demon.

Her attacks were weak, however. The demon, forged of fire, was immune to her Fire Storm, and she had not wasted her energy on such. Her Ice Blades were only effective momentarily, until the demon had spit fire and erased all hopes. She needed a miracle. She needed her Lord Sesshomaru.

Swinging up, she caught another of the beast's fingers, effectively slicing off the appendage.

"Such a weak demon I have allowed this one to become," Naraku said, allowing the baboon pelt to fall from his shoulders. "Without Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi, this demon is not stronger than—well, _you_."

"Damn you," she spat, slicing skin from the demon's leg.

"Come now, Rin. He should be easy prey for you, one trained by the great Sesshomaru."

Her anger escalated. Never had her soul been so dark, never had she seen this fire behind her eyes. Where was the little girl, the one who never saw the evil in anything? The one who would have relied on her Lord Sesshomaru for strength and guidance?

Repeatedly, she stabbed at the demon, burying her sword deep in the fleshy barrel of his stomach, and each time, thick black blood would emerge, same as from the wounds in his hands and legs. The blood, however, was not putrid or acidic as she had thought it would be, and she ignored it now on the earth as he bled out.

Yet the demon was not helpless. She had been tossed about like a doll, his hands swooping down to knock her off her feet or to slash at her with its massive claws. Rin kicked up a leather-clad foot once, to see if she could knock the offending claw away from her, but only gained a cut along her thigh. His limbs were like the trees, unmovable, unless you could dig up the roots.

Rin danced back, away from yet another swipe, trying to think on her feet as she watched the ugly beast. His red eyes seemed to see everything, know everything. His massive jaws could have torn her in two. The demon's claws could probably have taken her out in one fell swoop, yet why did he refrain? What was Naraku planning?

Rin glanced around the barrier and saw the outside world. The shadowy sky held no answers. Animals, upon sensing the demon's presence, had scattered. Even the flowers in the field had seemed to wilt. What was he planning? Nothing seemed amiss.

And yet, something had to be up his sleeve. He would never allow his demon to be defeated if there was not some plot deep in his mind. Even as she tried to formulate what it was that he wanted, she had to keep part of her mind on the battle. She had to taken down the demon, and then, kill Naraku.

Rin ducked out of the path of a stream of acid as the demon's saliva spilled from his mouth. The hiss of the thick liquid as it ate at the ground was sickening, and she had to hold back the urge to retch.

Running forward, she slashed at his leg, and thick, black blood fell out, like a geyser, covering the earth in it.

When she stood back and looked at him, the demon really was pathetic. Cuts and gashes covered it his body. He was missing fingers on both of his hands, and she had effectively hacked off one of his ears. His breath came out in short gasps, and blood pooled on the ground around him. However, she had no doubts that she looked just as dismal.

She felt as though fire licked at her skin, as though ice flowed through her veins. Her mind was blurry, the only true sign of blood loss that she paid attention to. At least she had all of her appendages, all of her hands and feet.

Rin laughed shortly, the feeling of being caught in a cycle coming upon her. It seemed this had no end. She would strike, the demon would strike, and so on until they both fell dead. And Naraku would then be left alive to spit and laugh on their corpses. And that, she would not allow.

* * *

Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Kagome reached the barrier in time to see Rin slice open the demon's legs. Sesshomaru took pride in her fighting skills, the excellence he had installed in her over the years until she was a stealthy combatant.

Through the length of the barrier, they could see, also, that she was tiring, and that she needed aid.

"Rin," he said, knowing that he was close enough so that she could hear him. Yet she didn't turn, didn't even acknowledge his presence. He tried again.

"I don't think she can hear you," Kagome said, jumping off of Inuyasha's back. Quickly, she pulled her bow off of her shoulder and knocked an arrow. "Maybe I can break the barrier." She let the arrow fly, yet the barrier held strong. "He's regained his strength."

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. "But don't worry. If we work together, we'll come up with a way to break through."

Sesshomaru nodded, also unsheathing Tokijin. For once in his life, he would have to work together with his half-brother. It did not sit well with him, yet somehow it was not out of the question. Not as it would have been mere weeks ago. Not as it would ever be again.

Inuyasha, catching the look on his brother's face, stopped. "I know you don't like it, Sesshomaru, but we have to get your mate outta there. She's a human against two powerful demons. She won't stay fighting for long."

* * *

Ni-Kiba pulsed. The beat of it in her hand drew her attention, and she watched for a moment as the sword whispered. Holding it up so that she could inspect the blade, Rin felt the flow of demonic aura, felt the rise and fall in energy around it. She could see his weaknesses, his strengths. And she could see her own.

She would not last much longer. Even now, her weak human body was beginning to wane in power.

Yet the sword was pulsing. She could feel the wind around her, and it burned at her, the heat around her body, until it flowed into the sword. The blade, however, seemed chilled, and she ran a finger along its broadside to test it. Ice bit at the soft flesh of her finger, and she drew back.

Holding her Ni-Kiba before her, she watched the hot and cold swirl around the sword, watched ice lick upon it as well as the flame, yet neither diminished the other. No, together they were stronger, stronger than they could ever be apart.

Rin glanced around, wondering at what could have triggered this change in her weapon, yet . . . nothing. All she saw was empty field and lifeless trees.

Then she focused on the demon. It would have to be precise, when he was most powerful, allowing the sword to feed off of the energy.

"You cannot defeat me, demon," she said, mocking. "Can you not kill a human girl? Or am I stronger than you, more apt at fighting and quicker in footing?"

_"Stupid child, I'll rip you apart!"_ His scream reverberated around the forest, and Rin's unseen audience, including her mate, stopped and watched as the demon lunged forward, his claws out before him like blades, closing the gap between attacker and victim.

The forest seemed to still as Rin gathered her energy. As she bowed her head she prayed to whichever god was listening to let this work.

Then she set loose her power.

* * *

Dundundun. Ooh, cliffhanger. And she can't see that she has help on the other side of the barrier??? Oh, no. Stay tuned to see what happens. As always, please review. Toodles.


	16. Torn Apart

Hey, ya'll, its me again. Sorry its taken so long for me to upload, but I was secretly hoping I would get more reviews (Glares at all who read, yet didn't review). Just kidding. The more hits the better. I just really love reviews. I know I'm gonna get a million for this one!!! Now, on with the story! Oh, and I keep screwing up in my counts (Goodness, how ditzy can I be), now there **_really_** are one a few more chapters. What is wrong with me, you ask? Apparently, when I was seperating out the chapters, I mislabelled some of them. No chapters were forgotten or anything like that, only my own personal error. Sorry!!!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Duh.

* * *

**

Chapter Fifteen

Torn Apart

The whirlwind burst from the Ni-Kiba in a flash so great that Rin almost fell back to the ground. Within the whirlwind of fire were harsh, jagged blades of ice. The ice fed from the flame, not melting, but growing stronger as the centimeters closed between the Spears of Flame and the demon.

When the attack tore at the demon, the ice ripped at its flesh, cutting through bones and organs, and the funnel of flames consumed the now-smaller pieces.

In a brilliant flash of light, the beast was defeated.

* * *

Rin stepped back, her eyes automatically falling upon the place where the demon had stood, and then down to the sword in her hand. What had triggered such a response? Why had her Ni-Kiba chosen this moment to reveal its ultimate technique to her?

Realizing immediately that she still had to deal with Naraku, Rin clenched her teeth together and lifted her head, knowing that he could never have known that she was this powerful. Never could he have known that her sword, much like Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, was more than a sword of parlor tricks. She had wielded the blade expertly for years, and she would use this to her advantage. Why reveal to the enemy that the attack just used was entirely new? It would serve no purpose.

"Well, well," Naraku taunted. "Who would have thought that a girl, such as you, would hold such power? Indeed, I wonder if that sword was created from that dog's fang."

"'Tis not the sword, but the wielder who holds the power. I will defeat you, Naraku."

He only laughed, the cruel sound sinking deeply into her mind. She would find her strength in this battle. She would prove to Lord Sesshomaru that she was strong.

She would prove that she was stronger than he thought. He had told the demon that she was weak, a silly human who trailed after him like a love-sick puppy. Rin may love him, may trail after him like a love-sick puppy, but she would prove to him that she was not weak, that she could valiantly defeat her enemies.

_Never attack first. Let your enemy make the first move while you calculate your plan of action. _Lord Sesshomaru's voice rang in her head. He had told her that so many years ago, yet she remembered it as though it were yesterday. All of his rules, guidelines, for battle were as true now as they were then.

Naraku smirked, the deadly evil of his aura surrounding her. Rin cringed inwardly, holding herself ready for the coming battle. She crouched down with her sword angled up, ready for his attack. When it came, it was brutal.

Naraku's own sword was razor sharp, and immediately sliced through the delicate skin of her shoulder. The wound, not being deep, still bled down her arm as she dodged his every attack.

Rin swung up, knocking away the impending sword and striking with her own, catching him just above his waist. She smirked at his pained growl, taking pride in her ability to keep her pain inside, to block it off during battle.

In retaliation, the half-demon swept down, intent on catching her legs and throwing her off balance, yet she quickly leapt up, bringing down her sword as she did so to counteract his simultaneous thrust to her shoulder.

"He has trained you well, girl. If you were only closer to death, I should like to make you as Kohaku—my slave, completely at my mercy, and able to be bent to my will."

"You, Naraku, are sick. The lowest coward, making little boys and girls do your killing," she said, remembering her childhood friend. If nothing else, his memory only sparked her anger, turning the cold, calculating warrior into the fiery fighter that she was.

Rin pushed through, bringing down her sword as she landed a kick to his stomach, hoping to thrust her Ni-Kiba into his heart and be done with this battle.

Yet he fell back immediately, and her blade met only air.

* * *

"_Damn it,"_ Inuyasha bit out harshly as he tried once again with his red Tetsusaiga. His aim was impeccable, his strength undeniable, yet he could not break the barrier that separated his brother from his mate. Kagome had tried almost all of her arrows, and even her growing powers were no match for Naraku.

Sesshomaru had tried every attack he knew, and he could only watch as Rin battled the half-demon bastard, and hoped that she remembered all of her training.

"Last one," Kagome said, pulling taught her last arrow. Sesshomaru angled Tokijin across his body, intent on combining her power with his, even as Inuyasha prepared to add his Wind Scar in the mix of spiritual and demonic power.

Yet that was before they all heard the gut wrenching scream.

* * *

Rin angled her body down, ducking forward and dodging his blatant attempt to take her head. She retreated slightly, giving herself the advantage was watching him come to her.

_Never crowd your enemy. The best offense is defense. Let them come to you; that way; you may watch their every move and anticipate the attack._

Naraku swung high in an arch, his blade slicing past her shoulder-blade, meeting nothing but air as she twisted her shoulders.

An opening. His wide swing left his entire left side open to attack. She took her opening. Thrusting forward, Rin hoped to drive her blade straight through his heart . . . .

Searing pain shot through her body. She gasped, and then screamed as the pain overwhelmed her. She had missed his heart, and had barely nicked his shoulder as he had formed his wide arch into a vengeful thrust through her abdomen.

Rin looked down at the blade in her stomach, the silver sheen of the hilt now drenched in her blood, the sickening red of it coating his hand and filling the air with its acrid scent.

She looked up at his smirking face.

"You lose, _human_."

The girl blinked once, as though acknowledging that fact. And then, Rin, the girl who had followed to Lord of the Western Lands for twelve years, did the one thing in the entire world that would bring fear into the hearts of her lord's enemies.

She smiled, the slight up tilting of the corners of her mouth that left Naraku reeling with anger.

Pulling herself off of the sword, just a little, yet enough to make new pain erupt in her body, she brought down her Ni-Kiba upon Naraku, slicing neatly through his collar-bone, and, with any luck, into his black heart.

Demons flooded from him, the strange swirl of many demons filling the air in a sick rainbow, all crying out. The barrier became thick with them, and Rin cringed through the pain in her own body.

"Return to me," Naraku beaconed, his voice thick with pain. "Return to my body."

The demons screamed back at him. _We told you, we warned you about the girl._

Naraku howled in rage. "Return to my body!" he yelled, twisting the blade, making Rin gasp in pain. Her body felt as though it were on fire, and the terrible burn of it was moving up her chest and into her arms.

"Demons, will regret the day you went against me," Naraku said, calling forth his Saimyoushou. Rin glanced up at him, her jaw clenched. "No, my dear," he cooed. "I will not die this day. I regret to inform you that, fortunately for me, my heart is not beating in my chest at the moment. I can remove it at will, and this battle seemed ideal to test such a power."

Rin hissed when he pulled the sword out of her, inch by devastating inch, and she tried not to scream when he turned the blade this way and that. When he was done, he inspected the blood-stained sword, and then flung it about to remove as much of the offensive substance as possible before replacing it in his sheath.

When his poisonous insects carried him off, Rin fell to the ground, the hard earth knocking the wind from her lungs as she landed on her back. She realized with a daze that she could feel something wet and sticky creeping down her chin, and soon after, she knew it was blood.

This was her end, on the harsh ground as the barrier above her slowly dissipated and allowed the hazy gray sky to show through. Rin felt the cold of her limbs, no longer hot as before, and she felt the ensuing darkness that lingered in her line of vision.

She gasped out her last breath, and her lover's name was on her lips.

* * *

Oh, no! What have I done!? I KILLED HER!!! Reviews people, even if it is to express your anger and hurt at my evil deeds. 


	17. The Red Lily

Hello, everyone! I had to repost this one because there was a problem when viewing it. Hopefully it works now!

**I don't own Inuyasha**

Chapter Fifteen

The White Lily

Sesshomaru lunged through the barrier as soon as it had opened, rushing to her side. The sight of Naraku's sword in her belly would haunt him as long as he lived.

Yet when he saw Rin, lying in her own blood, surrounded by weeds and nonsense flowers, he knew that she was dead. Her eyes stared up at him blankly, the death-stare both accusing and loving.

Pulling his Tenseiga from its sheath, he called forth his energy. Yet, even as he tried this desperate act, he knew that it would not work. The power of the sword could only call back a soul from the afterlife once. Rin was lost to him.

Kneeling down, he gathered her against his chest as he had done when she was a child, and stood, her cold arms and legs dangling from her body. He picked up her Ni-Kiba and sheathed it at her hip.

Turning back, he carried her past a weeping Kagome, and Inuyasha, who could only looked shocked.

Sesshomaru carried her body back to the village, where Jaken screamed and fainted upon seeing Rin dead. Kaede prepared a room to place her in until they could burn her body ceremoniously, and then she left the demon to grieve over his lost mate.

* * *

The next few hours were spent building the alter over which she would be burned, as well as arranging the surrounding area, pulling offensive weeds and adorning it with flowers.

Jaken found her favorite kimono, with orange and white patches, which he had had remade for her every year so that she would never outgrow it. Sesshomaru carefully cleaned away her blood and changed her into it. He combed her hair, arranging it the way she would have worn it as a child. When he examined her afterwards, she looked as though she were only sleeping. Yet he knew better. They all did.

She was to be cremated at dusk, which still allowed him some time to stay at her side, and to grieve over her body.

Her words rang in his head.

_The sun came up over the mountainous surroundings of the forest-lined path. Rin walked behind her lord, the words of the demon-slaying monk playing through her mind. She knew, deep in her heart, that she should just ignore his hate-filled reminder of her mortality, and his immortality, but she could not let it go._

_Jaken was wandering, obviously in circles, before then when they found him in the clearing_

"_Lord Sesshomaru! Oh, and you, too, Rin." He brightened immediately at the sight of his two companions._

_"Jaken, where is Ah-Un?" Sesshomaru said, annoyed at the imp's forgetfulness._

_Looking around, as though he had just now realized the reality of these words, he sped off. "I'll find him, milord."_

_Rin laughed at his antics, as she usually did. He was so easily confused that it was often effortless to play tricks on him. Then something caught her eye. Headstones from nearby graves. Running over to them, she ran her finger down the face of one as she read the engraving._

_"Um, I was wondering, Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, her voice full of hope._

_"What is it?" he replied, his voice faintly laced with annoyance._

_"I was wondering, if I should die someday, would you always remember me?"_

_Never had he acknowledged her impending death. It was inevitable, she was human, after all. Yet, to pose such a question, it made him pause. It caught him off guard._

_"Do not speak of such silly things," he said, regaining his composure. She just laughed it off, knowing full well that he would._

* * *

Near sunset, Sesshomaru set her body down on the altar, her body cold. He was still covered in her blood. He had not been able to wash it off, the thought of wiping away her essence left him hallow and empty.

"Rin," he whispered so that no one else would hear. "I failed you."

Straightening once again, he was surprised to feel a hand tug at his hakama.

"My Lord," Jaken said, bowing his head so that his lord could not see that his eyes were bright with tears. "Rin . . . would have . . . loved this flower," he said in between sniffles. He held up the perfect red lily, cut just below the fresh green leaves. Sesshomaru plucked it from the imp's hand, and wove the stem through her folded hands, so that the red petals rested between her breasts.

He allowed only one tear to fall, one tear that landed on the red lily.

Then he stepped back to the crowd, which included his brother and his friends. Kagome wept softly against Inuyasha's shoulder, and she attempted a weak smile when she saw Sesshomaru.

Ah-Un walked to his mistress, who lay still. Each head took his turn to nudge her body and bury his nose in her hair, and his soft whimpers made Sesshomaru's chest feel heavy. Jaken took the two-headed dragon by the reigns and led him away so that they could continue the ceremony.

Kaede said a prayer as Miroku lowered the flame. All eyes were trained on Rin's pale face, the once vibrant youth that was now cold with death. Her eyes, which had always been bright with wonder, were now closed, never to open again. Rin's young life had been filled with danger, death, and tragedy. Yet she had been happy, knowing that her lord was there to protect her.

Suddenly, Kagome's eyes went wide, and her breath caught in a gasp.

"Wait, stop," Kagome yelled, pushing past Inuyasha, who was trying to hold her back. She wouldn't be deterred. "Inuyasha, let go of me."

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru snapped, turning back to glare at the miko.

"Look," she said, pointing to the body. The red lily, which still lay where it had been left, was slowly bleeding out until the flower had completely turned white. Not one person said a word, and in fact Miroku had lowered the torch to his side, a safe distance from the altar.

The aura surrounding Rin's body turned bright red, and she began to levitate above the ground, her body turning until she was suspended upright amidst the group that had gathered for her cremation.

* * *

Rin was running. She ran, and she knew that she had experienced this once before.

Ahead of her was the white lily, and she stopped once again before it.

"Why?" she screamed at it. "Why did my life have to end?" Her anger burned bright, and she wanted nothing more than to take the flower into her hands and rip it apart.

She cried, doubling over. Yet the flower stood tall, and she felt her heart become crushed.

"I wanted to be with him forever," she whimpered.

"Do you love him?" a voice sounded. Rin looked up to see a man, his features so much like Lord Sesshomaru's, yet they were older and most definitely wiser. His long, white hair was pulled into a tail at the crown of his head, and his armor was clean and spanned his chest, while the fur pelts fell from his broad shoulders. Rin could not help but stare at his beauty.

"You're _him_, aren't you? You are Lord Sesshomaru's father," she said in awe.

"You wish to be with my son forever."

"Yes," she whispered. He looked down at the flower, whose petals were slowly bleeding red, turning the flower a vibrant crimson.

"Then you have to tell me, child. Do you love him?" He placed his hand on the crown of her head and forehead, and she felt a burning swell of power.

"Yes. Yes, I love him."

* * *

Sesshomaru stepped forward at the sound of his father's voice, which rang out from the crowd of people.

_"Do you love him?"_ His mighty voice was ghostly, it accompanied no body, no manifestation, yet it was loud and very real.

Inuyasha's brow was furrowed, and Sesshomaru knew that his half-brother was having a hard time placing the voice, since the only time he had heard his father's voice would have been over a decade ago.

He watched where Rin's body floated, and in an instant, her pale cheeks filled with color, and her once-blue lips became pink and healthy. Her eyes fluttered open, though they stared at the darkening sky, unfocused. She hadn't yet realized that she had joined the world of the living.

"Yes. Yes, I love him," she whispered.

And then she screamed.


	18. Forever With Lord Sesshomaru

I love everyone who reviewed the last chapter!!! Okay, we're gonna make a deal here. If I get seven (why seven, I don't really know) reviews tonight, I'll post the epilogue tomorrow. Is it a deal??? I'm really excited, I think ya'll are gonna like this chapter. Okay, now on with the show . . . .

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

**

Chapter Sixteen

Forever with Lord Sesshomaru

Rin was convulsing in mid-air. Her body shook with tremors, and the terrifying sight had Kagome burying her face into Inuyasha's hoari.

Every so often, a roar would erupt from Rin's mouth, and even Inuyasha shuddered when he heard it. She was suspended from them, and internally, something was happening to her.

Sesshomaru watched on, never letting his mask slide, though he knew that she was in great pain. It was unstoppable. And he ached to hold her against him and tell her that everything would be all right.

The red aura engulfed her, and in a blinding flash of light, the forest went silent. Not a creature moved, and the group watching did not dare breath.

Then she descended to the ground, softly lowered to the soft earth, where she slept, the gentle rise and fall of her chest evidence of the life that now coursed through her veins. The lily fell limply from her fingers.

"Oh my god," Kagome said.

"Holy shit," Inuyasha felt compelled to say.

Sesshomaru walked to the girl and once more plucked her from the ground and held her so that all may see.

They saw the brilliant white hair that cascaded down her shoulders and over her back. See the gentle points of her now-elfin ears, and the gentle lavender strips that adorned her cheeks and arms. Also, she had deadly claws instead of the petite hands that she had possessed.

Jaken squawked, his eyes so wide they threatened to pop out of his skull. "My Lord, she is demon! Oh, and alive."

Sesshomaru never said a word, and walked on to the village and to the hut that she had called her own while he had been away. Settling himself against the wall that adjoined the futon, he placed her long ways across his body, so that her head rested comfortably in his lap, where he could gingerly stroke her hair and trace the markings on her face and wrists.

He breathed in her scent, noting the slightly heightened spice that defined her as a demon, and it blended with her flowery fragrance to create an intoxicating aroma. She had been beautiful as a human, and as a demon she was striking.

Checking her neck, he saw that his mark was still there, meaning that she was still his.

* * *

Outside, the group of former jewel hunters sat around, talking.

"What the hell just happened?" Miroku asked, his eyes still wide.

"We just saw someone who had been completely dead come back to full blown life. And become a demon on top of it," Kagome said, leaning her head back against a tree. _Why can't I be so lucky?_ She thought to herself, and then grimaced. _Then again, she_ was _dead._

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "Sesshomaru got lucky as hell. No one else has that same good fortune." Kagome looked over at him as he, too, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. She knew that he was talking about Kikyo. And it hurt.

Standing quite suddenly, she walked away, mustering as much grace as possible.

"I should go check on Rin," she said, never once turning to see the confused look on Inuyasha's face. Twin sets of tears fell from her eyes as she stopped by her hut to grab her medical bag.

She wiped away the tears from her eyes and sucked in a deep breath before walking in and seeing Sesshomaru and Rin together. Kagome was envious of them. They only had each other, and neither carried the doubt of a past love with them. She knew they were going to be ridiculously happy.

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm just here to check on her."

Kagome then proceeded to check Rin's heart rate, breathing, and reflexes, taking extra care to not wake the girl. Every so often, however, Kagome would sniffle, still thinking about what Inuyasha had said.

"What has my brother said to you?" Sesshomaru said as the scent of salty tears hit his nostrils. Walking out the door, she turned back with fire in her eyes.

"Since when do you care?"

* * *

It was almost a full day before Rin awoke. Her eyes had fluttered open, every so slowly, taking in the small room that she lay in. Her heightened eyesight caused her to flinch at the invading afternoon sun, and her sense of hearing took in all of the forest sounds, as well as the hustle and bustle of the village people outside of the hut.

Looking at her hands, she turned them this way and that, noting the changes in herself. Her heightened senses, the fangs that cut her tongue as she tested their sharpness. Picking at a few strands of hair, she saw the snowy whiteness that undoubtedly covered her entire head. Instinctively, she knew that her eyes were golden amber like her lord's, except softer and lighter like the lavender markings on her skin.

Rin felt strong and rejuvenated as she slowly leaned up from her place on the futon, popping her back in the process. She looked over at Sesshomaru, who was sleeping on his stomach beside her, his arm carelessly tossed over her waist.

_So, he does sleep,_ she thought to herself as she smiled. In all their years together, she had never really seen him sleep. Always when she slept, he was still awake, and he was always up and ready by the time she awoke in the morning.

She tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear, stroking his cheek in the process. She knew that only yesterday she would not have been so bold, yet death had shown her that life was so precious, and she felt the irony of this. Her eyes roamed over his face and his kimono-clad body.

Just then his eyes opened and focused on her.

Sitting up, his eyes never left her, and he leaned back against the nearest wall.

Tears filled her eyes, their watery amber depths baring her soul to him. Then she launched herself into his arms, her thighs straddling his hips, and her face pressed to the junction of his shoulder and neck. She clung tightly to his shoulders as her body was wracked with sobs.

"I thought I would never see you again, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered into his neck, and she felt his own clawed hand come up to wrap around her waist. "I didn't want to leave you alone in this world."

"Rin," was all he said. Leaning back, Rin gazed at him, and he reached his hand up to wipe away the tears that lingered on her cheeks. Her heart beat a rapid pace, and she watched him as he leaned in close to her and touched their lips together. She held him as close as she could, her body pouring out all of the love that she had in her.

When they broke apart, Rin thought back to her life with him, how she was always with him. She remembered being a little girl, and always looking up at the night sky and wishing that she could stay with Lord Sesshomaru forever.

"I was so scared," she whispered, fresh tears falling from her eyes.

"I couldn't reach you," he said, with an uncharacteristic fervor that she had never seen. "Naraku's barrier prevented me from coming to your aid. I could only watch as he killed you." His hand tightened on her kimono, pulling her closer. "You fought well, however."

She smiled her brightest, her eyes wandering over his face. Then it fell.

"There is one thing, Lord Sesshomaru, which has lingered on my mind. When you said that you wanted the demon to kill me, you never told me why."

He sighed, his usual annoyed sigh, the one that she had come to expect when one asked something of him that he did not want to answer. He knew the hurt that it would bring to her eyes.

"Rin, I wanted him to kill you because I wanted to prove to myself that humans and their lives were worthless. That you meant nothing more to me than any other passing human."

She hung her head, her white hair flowing around her in an iridescent curtain to shield her sorrow from him. His hand came up, and his fingers found the point of her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"However," he said, leaning close to her ear. "You proved to be my only weakness."

* * *

"Hey, Sesshomaru, ya haven't come outta there in a while, so I thought . . . Oh . . . my . . . god . . . _I'm blind!_" Inuyasha yelled as he walked in and then quickly exited. He ran out, his hands over his eyes.

This proved foolish, however, when he toppled over Shippo, who was walking next to Kagome. Inuyasha ended up sprawled over the woman, who was wheezing.

"Inuyasha, you _idiot!_ Why the hell were you running around with your eyes closed?"

"I . . . uh . . . Oh, god, Kagome!" he said, unexpectedly throwing his arms around her neck. Several people from the village stopped to look and laugh at the funny image of the hanyou and the priestess, on the ground, one on top of the other, and the male of the two clinging to the female as though life depended on it.

"What the hell happened to you, Inuyasha? Quit acting like a baby," she said, pushing him away and getting back to her feet, leaving him sitting on the ground with his knees bent and his feet planted firmly. She grabbed her medical bag from the ground, where, luckily, nothing had spilled out, and walked over to Rin's hut.

"Wait!" Inuyasha screamed after her. "Don't go in there!"

"Geez, Inuyasha, Rin has been asleep since yesterday, and I need to check up on her."

"No . . . but, but . . . WAIT!"

Kagome pulled back the cloth door of the hut and stepped inside.

"Oh . . . my . . . god!" she screamed as she ran back out. "Naked people . . . doing NAKED things," she said as she found Inuyasha again, sat down next to him, and clung to his arm.

"I told you," he said, shivering just a little.

"Yeah," she said, gulping. "It's going to take the Jaws of Life to get that image out of my head."

"The jaws of what?"

* * *

Ah-Un snorted loudly as he waited for his mistress to wish her good-byes to Inuyasha and the others. She had not wanted to leave without seeing them once again and to thank them for all of their help.

Sesshomaru stood by the two-headed dragon and Jaken, and waited as well. Any who looked closely would have seen the slight softness to his features, and the renewed strength in his eyes. He was her mate, her guardian, and her life.

Kagome was hugging the girl to her chest, and in her heart, she prayed for Rin to have all of the happiness that she deserved.

"Hey, there's one thing that's been bugging me, though," Inuyasha announced amidst all of the farewells.

"And that would be . . . . ," Kagome asked.

"Well, that attack of yours, Rin. The one that looked like the Backlash Wave. How did you do that?"

"I'm not sure," she said, looking up at him. "I could never use it before. Totosai told me about the Spears of Flame when he made the sword from you and Lord Sesshomaru's fang, but over the years I have never been able to find the key to awakening its ultimate power. I don't know what triggered it."

"The power of the fang is based on both mine and Inuyasha's powers," Sesshomaru said, stepping forward to wrap around his arm around Rin's shoulders. "It was most probably triggered by our combined efforts to free Rin from Naraku."

Rin nodded, seeing the logic in this. The sword, created from both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's fangs, would be tuned to their power, and upon sensing the cooperation with each other, would respond by unleashing its ultimate attack.

Rin smiled, thinking on how the brothers had always hated each other, and she felt a twinge of pride that they would set aside their differences in order to try and save her. She knew, of course, that they would never be close, and in fact, she could never see them that way. They _were_ too different. However, she knew that they could exist as they were, without constant fighting and bickering. And, of course, Rin would want to visit Kagome from time to time, thereby making it inevitable for the brothers to see each other.

Rin hugged Inuyasha, and then went back for another quick hug from Kagome.

"You come and visit," Kagome said. "And when it comes time for children, you better believe I want to see them."

"Of course I'll come back, and," Rin said conspiratorially into Kagome's ear, "I definitely want you to help deliver my child when that time comes."

"You bet," Kagome laughed once more.

"Rin," Lord Sesshomaru called from his place by Ah-Un, where he had went after Rin hugged Inuyasha. "It is time to go home."

"Yes," she whispered, turning from Kagome and running toward her Lord. She turned back once before she reached him and waved, the smile on her face radiating all of the love and happiness in her heart. Kagome felt tears prickle her eyes as she watched the younger woman run off to catch Sesshomaru, before they finally crossed over the hill, and they were out of sight.

Rin's joyous laughter rang through the trees as the trio traveled home to the Western Lands.

* * *

Awww, Sniffle Tear Well, let me know what you think!!! But dont' forget, there is an epilogue on the way. As always, please review!!! Toodles.


	19. Epilogue

Wow!!!! This story is complete!!! Stick around, there will be a few sequels (we can't leave the other awesome couples hanging, can we???) and some AU stories coming up. Squeals I'm so happy. Tear

Here's a giant thank you to everyone that reviewed during the active posting of this story!!!

mysterious advisor

xXdelicatesinsXx

raptor-akida

SweetAyu

Tankbbg

Grace Mustang

Ravenhaired2

Val

Pyoly

Eden's Darkness

Inkheart6

theLady0019

meomy

animegrl22

I luv you all!!!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

**

Epilogue

Naraku stared at the ceiling of his castle while Kagura cowered in the corner. Immediately after his return from the battle with that girl, he had effectively snatched her heart from her chest while her blood had covered his hands and body. It had taken her many days, even with her demonic power, to heal.

He had surprised himself with his anger, how he had brutally shoved his hand into her chest without a word and wrung her heart straight from her body. Her screams had rung in his head for days after.

What scared him the most was that he had done it for no reason at all. Simply because she was there. Simply because she was going to have her freedom, and he could not allow that, could he?

"Kagura, I want you out of my sight," he snarled at her cowardice. It disgusted him. She stood immediately and ran for the door, stumbling in the process of reaching the door.

"Damn girl," he said, flexing his shoulder. He had taken back all but a few of the traitorous demons that had escaped him. They would regret their actions when he had regained his full strength and exacted his plans to their fullest.

Inuyasha could only come out on top so long. He would make sure of that.

"Kanna," he said, looking to the silent, void girl in the doorway of the bedchamber. "I want to watch Inuyasha and his miko. I want to see their strengths, weaknesses, and I will find their weak thread and pull it loose." He laughed, his voice reverberating around the room. "Tell Hakudoshi to train and prepare for battle. This will all come to a head soon. Not like before, I was foolish. This time, I will throw all of my power at them, and watch them crumble."

* * *

"_Oh dear,"_ Jaken thought to himself. He was feeling so down since his master and Rin had mated. They were always sitting side by side, or walking together. It was boring for him.

Now, as he sat in the gardens of the palace at the Western Lands, with the winter bite in the air and the softly falling snow, he absently plucked the dead petals from a skeletal flower. Why had it turned out this way? Why? Sure, he was glad that Rin was now a demoness and could defend herself. Sure, there were very little rumors around the castle on the topic of the former human, and they had since received Rin as the new Lady of the Western Lands. Sure, Lord Sesshomaru's mother had been overjoyed at the prospect of a combination of a demon and the girl that the lord loved, and had accepted the girl as her own family. Sure, they were all ridiculously happy. Yet he wasn't.

He had no job. No one to care for as he once had. Oh, life was boring.

He looked up at the sound on someone approaching. It was Rin.

"Hello, My Lady," he said, standing before her, all semblance of his misery gone.

"Master Jaken, I have asked you many times to not call me that," she said, gracefully taking her seat beside him.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment. She plucked a particularly beautiful, although dead, flower and, reaching up, threaded it through the braid in her hair. Her pale lavender kimono matched the markings on her face and arms, and the flower of dry violet offset the mild colors that adorned her body.

"Jaken, I know that you are unhappy," she said, looking down at his small, withered face. "I believe I know the reason why. No, you don't have to explain," she started, holding her hand up to silence him when he opened his mouth. "You won't get in trouble with your lord. This is between you and me." She stared of at the setting sun, the tiniest smile adorning her face, and her hand absently fluttering down to her stomach.

"My lady?" he asked when she did not speak for several moments.

"I will have a special task for you soon, Jaken. You see, if a few months, there will be an . . . an addition to this household."

"How so?" he asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru and I are expecting a child in the spring," she said, turning to him with her brightest smile. "I started showing signs a few days ago. I want you to help me care for the child, Jaken, just as you cared for me when I was little. You always took good care of me, however reluctantly, and rarely did anything severe happen to me. I know you are the perfect person to help me care for this, and any other, babies that I will have."

He could not have been more stunned if she had smashed him over the head with a rock.

"No . . . oh, I mean yes . . . . Yes, Lady Rin," he said, bowing low to her, accepting the position, and he looked forward to helping her in the future. She snatched him up and held him tightly.

_Some things never change,_ he thought absently, and smiled gently to himself at this reflection. Some little girls never grow up, and stay innocent forever. Just as she would, forever and always, with Lord Sesshomaru.

* * *

Well, there you have it. My very first fanfiction, all done. But wait!!! What's this??? Oooh, I thought I would be nice and include a preview of the sequel, "Fate's Angel: Amaya," for your viewing pleasure. Have fun, and tell me what you think. Please review!!! Until next time,

Tears Of My Heart.

Preview for "Fate's Angel: Amaya"

Amaya followed her, slinking as stealthily as possible considering her two huge bags. The woman walked in the hut, and then there was a bright flash of purple.

_How odd,_ she thought, walking slowly into the shack, almost in a trance, as though something in her subconscious called out to this place, to the shed that this woman had walked into.

She wasn't in there. She was gone and there was only one entrance. Frowning slightly, and gently slipping the sunglasses off of her nose, she peered down the well which was down the stairs and in the center of the room.

Amaya was almost scared. Had this woman fallen in? What if she was caught? She felt as though she were intruding on this family's property.

But no, glancing down, there was nothing in the well. She pulled out her keychain-flashlight and shone it down to make double sure.

Breathing a sigh of relief, with her brow still furrowed, she leaned her hands on the lip of the well, hunching over a bit as she relaxed her shoulders and she was about to lower her bags to the floor and rest when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders.

Amaya screamed, and tried to turn around, but the hands held her fast. She tried to shake herself loose, but with the added weight on her shoulders, she couldn't twist her body the way she would have liked to. Reaching back, she grabbed at whatever she could reach, and she pulled at a lock of hair, feeling the strands give way with a satisfying rip. She screamed once more when the hands added forward pressure, and she went tumbling into the well, headfirst.

She flailed her arms, and bent them over her head, knowing that either way, she was going to land and break her neck. She cried out, and tears seeped her eyes. _Shit, I'm not ready to die. Not yet. _

And then, before she could feel the sickening thud of her body hitting the floor, she, for the first time in her life, fainted.

* * *

Okay, this story is really not all that far along, but I'm looking forward to writing it. It should be out sometime in March, but until then, look for my super short story that I will begin posting sometime next week. Toodles for now!!!


End file.
